All of Those Plans
by AllTheLoveStories
Summary: Bella is a spunky waitress in NYC running from responsibility, love and her past. Edward is the big shot CEO whose planned out his entire life from the moment he could remember. One thing he never planned on though was the job interview that lead him to a girl that would lead him to more questions and no answers about life, love and most importantly himself.
1. Chapter 1

How this happened

Bella

You ever go over to a friends' house and wonder when certain things started? Like wonder what happened for that to have become their routine? Why did you stop eating together as a family? Did you ever? When did Friday become the day to do your laundry? When was it decided that your dad would take you Monday through Wednesday? When did you learn your mom was a drunk? Why did you let it go? I never thought of things like that, it never did me any good. I'm sure if I really sat down and thought about it, I definitely would know. I mean it is my life, but what good was knowing something if it wasn't going to change what was? As my aunt Shelly once said to me after she found her husband cheating on her but faced scrutiny from the family when she refused to get a divorce.

"Eh who cares? A man has cheated lets alert the fucking media. God spare me, if anything I feel sorry for him. He has to buy two of everything for every god damn occasion now if he keeps her. I suppose I could just file for divorce and tell some judge my sob story while she awards me alimony money we both know I don't deserve or I can just shed a tear apply some mascara and keep it moving kid. Sometimes that's just that. Keep it moving, _The show must go on_"

The woman doesn't say many smart things but that was definitely something I held onto. She was right though. Sometimes life is just… that. You can sit there and dwell or you can simply just… move on out. "Keep it moving". I have always been good at that, I used to think it was what kept me normal, little did I know. It did anything but.

"Bellsy! Bellsy!" Said the voice of my favourite five-year-old. I looked over the high counter where we served the drinks and laughed at Maria. I came from around the counter and let her jump into my arms. Alice was standing there in a really nice outfit holding Maria's school bag. Her husband owned this restaurant. She was an event planner and for all intense of purposes had taken it upon herself to be my surrogate mother. When I moved to New York and she found me sleeping in my car in the alley of a café, she offered me a job as a babysitter. Jasper was skeptical of course he didn't want a stranger sleeping in a car outside his establishment watching his kid. But overtime after a background check and me being a good baby sitter. I was accepted and soon they offered me a job waitressing at one of Jaspers' fine establishments. I got to keep the mini apartment at the top of the building and … that's how I ended up here. At _Maria's _. Couldn't afford to eat here though, Jasper only catered to the rich, and I helped him.

"Hey Al." I said kissing Maria's head and putting her down. Alice just smiled in greeting before sitting at one of the bar stools. I placed Maria on one beside her.

"How was school munchkin?"

"Boring. Absolutely boring." She stressed as I handed her an apple juice. Alice just laughed and I smiled, I put my elbows on the table and looked at her.

"I'm sorry to hear that kiddo. I'm sorry to say it only gets worse." I said sympathetically. She sighed a cute little five year old sigh.

"You're killin me" She muttered. I busted out laughing and Alice rolled her eyes.

"Just drink your juice." She said with an amused voice before she looked at me.

"So." She drawled on. It was my turn to roll my eyes. I knew that "So" she was about to recommend something. That was one thing about Alice she recommended a lot of things to me, she had good intentions. She wanted nothing but the best for me but damn she could be insufferable. I needed to do life at my own pace, and Alice wanted me happy and moved on now.

"Yes." I said casually handing her a glass of wine to match Maria's juice.

"There's this job opening at an art gallery." She started.

"I know nothing about art." I said softly and kindly. Lying.

"Yes but you could learn. This job is offering 60K a year and because it's my friend Riley you'd get first dibs." She said.

"As great as that is I don't think I want to take a job from someone who would really appreciate it. Plus I'm really figuring things out." I said not convincingly to her. She corked an eyebrow.

"Bella no you're not." She said

"I am." I argued. "I have an interview… With a book publishing company on Friday. That's why I took the day off on Friday." I said coyly… lying. I mean I didn't mean to lie I just didn't want to disappoint Alice. She wanted me to be something other than a waitress and I loved that she did It in a different way than anyone who I'd ever had in my life. She asked me. She didn't push me, everything was a suggestion with her. I wanted to be something… I guess. I mean eventually everybody decides to become something. That's what I was taught my whole life. It's ingrained in you from the time you're little.

_And what do you want to be when you grow up? _

Teachers would ask, parents would enquire. They'd make you write essays and make portraits of yourself as that thing.

_Astronaut, Scientist, Firefighter, Police Officer _

Nobody ever said _Waitress. _But I liked waitressing. It was always what I did when I relocated to a new place. I did odds and ends like babysitting or secretary work in different states, but waitressing was full proof. I loved it. I thrived on the idea of selling myself… not in a fucked-up kind of way. Just in a marketing kind of way. If it was a group of girls, I knew how to get along with them and seem nice. They would tip accordingly. People on dates, do not flirt with the guy no matter how hot he is, befriend them… as a couple.

"_Oh where are you guys coming from tonight? Oh you went to watch that… Yah I saw that movie it's great isn't it?" _

Or

If it was a group of rowdy guys be the _cool girl. _Don't shy away from their flirting laugh it off but don't seem too flirty and available either. Be cool. They would tip accordingly. Even if it wasn't a huge over the top tip. I always knew when a person bought whatever I was selling them, it was fun for me to be a different person at a different table. I loved it for that reason. You're being a snob? Meet sarcastic Bella. You're rich and single? Meet flirt Bella. You're tourists? Meet overly nice _Go-see- Staten-Island _Bella. I lived for the thrill I got from making people think I was something that I wasn't.

I remember my drama teacher Mrs. Cope telling me that she believed I had the gift of reinvention. She said I had the _born given talent _of being able to _deceive _my audience. I remember how I would get into my roles and she said I had the _art of persuasion _down to a science. I remember laughing at her glowing reviews and her hooded eyes as she _Insisted _I apply to places like _Julliard._

_Isabella Dear… Please. I'm telling you think about your future think about the talent you have… such promise such I don't even know… You just got a light inside you kid. _

She would say as she tried to get me into the arts. To make "A name for myself" out there. But at that time in my life I was so sure of my name and all that it stood for that Cope was nothing but a whacky drama teacher. Now only three years later and six changed zip codes do I kind of understand what she meant. It was _easy _for me to be what people saw me as and never grow uncomfortable with my character. I liked it this way. Every city was a new show staring Bella. The minute the plot started to twist and turn and go in directions I didn't like or got boring. I packed up took my tip jar and _left_… started a new plot in a new zip code and played the first character that was projected onto me and I started the show.

"Really?" She said not believing me. Taking me out of my self reflections. With who?"

"Cullen Publishing." I said with a bright smile. It was a half lie, I did apply but I didn't actually have any kind of interview with them yet. I did this to make Alice happy because she wanted me to _stay_. She didn't know much about my past and all that nonsense… because it didn't matter. But Alice was getting nervous about me waitressing because one night two months ago I accidentally told her the truth kind of… about how I ended up in New York anyways. While I had always known that I'd most likely end up somewhere else. That night it dawned on Alice that it was nothing personal but sooner or later. New York was just yet another pit stop in this long ass continuous journey I had set out on. Ever since then she had been on a real mission. She wanted me to stay. She hadn't out rightly said it. She knew that would probably scare me into leaving quicker. But she _implied _it. She implied it by making me work more hours encouraging me to date. She implied it by asking me about my future and suggesting I _start one_. Maybe there was even a part of me that indulged her solely because for once in my life… I didn't know what my next character would be. I was in a slump … going through a creative block. So I held off on the production of my next season of the Bella show. Cause all the plots and characters kind of all seemed like they were getting old. And I hated the idea of living my life in the "Same old same old" type of way..

"Really?" Alice asked impressed. Jacob came beside me putting a menu down on the bar and poking Maria in-between her forehead. She smiles brightly at him. They were best friends… those two. Well Maria was friends with everyone at her dads' restaurant.

"What are we talking about?" He asked, he was the store manager. Jasper couldn't run all these restaurants himself and Jacob was his right-hand man.

"Bella has a job interview with the best publishing company in… the world." Alice said still not believing it. Jacob raised an eyebrow and I smiled sheepishly caving.

"Okay maybe I don't but I applied it's the same thing." I said finally saying the truth.

"But it's not." Maria said brightly. Jacob and Alice laughed and I rolled my eyes but before I could even say anything further Jacob looked panicked. Alice sobered up and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"The hell is your problem freak?" She asked him.

"Shit Shit Shit Irene is here." He said freaking out. Alice and I rolled our eyes. Another one of his conquests. Out of all of them she happened to be the craziest. _I to this day claim that Emily the girl who spray painted Pig on the restaurant window was the craziest. But I guess only his opinion mattered. _

"What do I do?" He whispered panicked. Alice and I didn't say anything as we looked at her.

"She's hot." I said not helping.

"Yeah and crazy." He muttered. He groaned when she walked over to us excitedly.

"Jacob!" She screeched causing Alice to touch her ear delicately. Maria just sipped her juice, looking interested.

"Hey Irene. Baby." He said giving her a chaste kiss. She smiled at him but got awkward when she noticed us staring at her.

"Oh how rude of me… Irene this is Bella and this is Alice the owner's wife and right here we have-

"Maria!" Maria answered excitedly. I smiled at her.

"Yes." He said amused. Irene greeted us all politely underneath that façade I knew she had to be crazy. There was something there that screamed "Nuts".

"Baby I've been trying to get a hold of you for a week what is going on?" She asked in a low voice. He glanced at me and Alice but we didn't hide our shame in the fact that we didn't even try to look away.

"Look baby I don't know how to tell you this but-

"Daddy… When are we going home?" Maria asked in the sweetest voice up at Jacob. Alice and I widened our eyes in surprise at her but didn't make any comment.

"Uh- What?" Jacob asked Maria with a really worried look on his face as if she'd grown two heads.

"Daddy I know you don't want me to call you that in front of your girlfriends but I'm just really tired." Maria said and I just stared at her.

_This kid was a fucking genius. _

"She's your kid!?" Irene exclaimed looking at Maria with horror.

"Yah daddy said I can't tell the females he dates that though… but I can call him daddy in the car." She said brightly.

"You're a pig!" Irene exclaimed grabbing her clutch slapping Jacob across the face and storming out of the restaurant. Alice and I just looked at Maria with an.

"O" shape of our mouths.

"Uncle Riley always says when a girl thinks you're a dead beat dad you'll never hear from her again. So when his girlfriends get crazy daddy lets me be his daughter for a few hours to scare a girl off." Maria says looking at us innocently. I burst into hysterics and Jacob was just smiling looking so amused despite his reddening cheek.

"He does what?" Alice asked bemused.

"I wasn't s'posed to tell you that… I gotta potty." She said casually jumping off the stool before she ran into the back to find the bathroom.

"Bella it' not fucking funny." Alice hissed. I just wouldn't stop laughing because who knew that a kid would do something totally and incredibly fucking ridiculous and my heart would swell with pride.

-Friday April 20th 2018 -

"So, what exactly do you plan on telling them?" Jacob asks as he and I lay out on the Patio of Maria's smoking individual blunts.

"Well the truth… that the interview was trash and I didn't get the job." I said with a lazy shrug as I took a pull. Jacob did the same before bursting into a fit of coughs.

"Jesus Christ where'd you get this shit?" He asked.

"That bimbo girl from the pharmacy on fifth." I answered.

"I hate it when you buy from her, her shit always puts me in a frenzy." He said not stopping taking pulls though.

"Anyways." I said ignoring his ungratefulness at the fact that I trekked all the fucking way to fifth to get us weed.

"Yeah anyways… That's not exactly what happened though. You cussed off the biggest book publisher in like… the city."

"Ugh Jacob who cares. I don't even want to work with books anyways." I said annoyed that we were discussing this.

"Yeah but… Alice is worried about you Bella… She really doesn't want you to leave." He said bluntly. I didn't say anything to that because I didn't really know what to say. Not because I didn't want to come off rude or even come off dismissive but because Alice …the way she acted with me had always been so foreign to me. It was a long time ago since I remember feeling certain things that Alice made me feel like… having roots…a permanent place to stay. Having friends who didn't just email, or see each other once in a while. But having a permanent life. I didn't think of the last time I had a permanent life because well… _For what? _

"I know but…Fuck that guy was a dick." Was all I can say.

"He sounds like one but just….chill I mean …fuck Bella. who the hell am I gonna smoke with if you leave?" He said honestly. Not looking at me with a shred of romanticism. I know what people think, maybe Jacob and I had something for each other. No. We went on one date when I got here realized that was a joke and we've been like best friends ever since. I knew I was a decent looking girl who'd make a lot of guys lucky to parade me around and I knew that Jacob was a hot guy… a really hot guy who popular to contrary belief wasn't horrible that a lot of girls would be lucky to have. But we didn't make each other feel that way. Him because he wasn't into me that way and me because I wasn't into anyone that way. I didn't have the fucking capability to be honest.

"I don't know Jake… I'm getting restless I need some new shit but … fuck I don't know where to go. I don't want to go anywhere but it's one of those things where I know I should… because I _always _do." I explained to him what I had explained to Alice a few nights ago.

"Okay well listen to this. Every night at eleven o clock I get up and eat because I'm hungry. Then one night at eleven I wake up and I'm not hungry but I still eat because it's just something I always do so what the fuck does it matter. I mean I wasn't hungry but … food is food right? Well then I get a fucking stomach ache and I can't get to bed and I'm pissed because I couldn't get a good night's rest cause I did something I usually always do at a time when I really didn't need too." He said satisfied with his little analogy. I just crinkled my face at him with a

_Really _

Look. But he was un-phased with my facial sarcasm.

"Okay Jake… I'll stay but the minute I know where the fuck I feel the need to go. I'll go."

"That's all I ask… But yeah don't tell Alice what happened at that interview." Was all he said before he bust out into a howling laughter at my expense.

-Earlier that day-

I was fucking annoyed because I had to wake up the fucking crack of dawn to get downtown, because traffic was a fucking bitch in Manhattan. I learned that quickly and sold the car when I realized just how fucking nuts this city was. Nobody drives in Manhattan. I woke up and realized that the only adult blouse I had, had a pit stain on it and that I used the wrong shampoo so my hair was frizzy and wouldn't do the sleek professional hair look I was aiming for.

"Fuck." I muttered as a cigarette dangled from my mouth as I stood in my apartment in my pantyhose. Wet hair, with one roller in it, trying to figure out of this tank top could suffice for an interview.

_Why the fuck did I have to look professional to be a secretary? _

"This is bullshit." I said realizing I was going to be late as I smoked. I stood there in my apartment for five minutes contemplating on what I should do before I left my house and went to my neighbours. I knocked on the door. Angela Webber was a bratty private school girl whose father was a wall street big-wig and her mother was a botoxed whore. I mean I'm sure she had a real job but in my mind that was her occupation. Botoxed whore.

Angela and I didn't like each other very much. She said when I smoked she could smell it and complained to the tenants and Jasper had warned me about it because he and Alice are renting their place out to me. I then went to Angela and told her the next time she snitched I would kick her ass. So ever since that little incident she never told, I smoked but she did always roll her eyes when she saw me and muttered "Poor loser" Under her breath. _If only she fucking knew._

When she opened the door to see me in my bra, cigarette and pantyhose she looked incredulous and disgusted at the same time. She was a little priss that girl. She was always prim and proper her school girl uniform was always perfectly rolled up. She wore her little dresses to those society events her parents made her go to and I know she definitely probably got straight A's. But I knew girls like Angela and I definitely know she probably played perfect societal princess for the big wigs and the society pages and then let frat boys snort coke off her tits for fun in whosevers vacation house in the Hamptons. _This was Manhattan rich kids we were talking about. _

"Did you need something… peasant?" She asked disgusted.

"Give me a cute business casual outfit and I won't tell mommy I saw you blowing your married teacher in his car last night two blocks down." I said nicely. Her eyes widened in shock. Her mouth opened and closed then opened again before she huffed and opened her door even wider to let me in. Now I didn't know that he was her teacher per se… but I knew he was way too fucking old for her. I also knew from mine and Jacob's stalking when we noticed it was her. That the man had a wedding ring. He definitely wasn't married to the fucking high school junior that was for sure.

"You get one ounce of ash on any of my furniture and I'll murder you." She said determined as she walked me into the huge ass place I'd never been in before. Angela's parents may have lived in the same building as me but we were not living the same life. My apartment was clean and tidy but… small. It was a maintenance place meaning it was meant for you to stay there if you worked in the building or downstairs like I did. So I didn't get a two level marbled home that Angela had. I didn't get a spiral staircase and a grand baby piano with a kitchen with stainless Steele appliances. The place was adorned with golden trimmings and black and white theme.

_Oh so fancy. _

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at all the bullshit. Angela brought me up to her room and it was everything I assumed her room would be. Huge ass bed with expensive ass pretentious bedding. Pictures of her whore ass friends looking innocent in one frame and whore-ish in the fucking other. She went to the double doors of her closet.

"Now I know you know _nothing _about designer and business casual because I mean… well yah." She said looking at me up and down. I just rolled my eyes as I puffed. "But I would suggest something Gucci.. maybe this?" She said pulling out a dress that still had the tag that my grandma wouldn't be caught dead in.

"Did your mother pick that out for you?" I asked.

"No my grandmother I needed someone to get it off my hands." She said.

"I will pick my outfit and you will sit there and watch… thank you." I said having my way with her walk in. I tapped my chin dramatically loving making her squirm. I chose her favourite pair of LV's because I had seen the girl wear them so many times and then I paired it. with a tight black blazer with a white silk shirt underneath and a skirt, that was shorter than usual but still screamed professional. I turned to face her when I was done doing my hair in her pretty little vanity.

"Okay do I look hirable?" I asked despite my better judgement as she sat there on her bed flicking through a vogue.

"I guess… but if you really want the job just don't open your fucking mouth." She said rolling her eyes as she continued to look.

"Be nice to me or I'll accidentally walk into a pile of mud on my way home."

"You ruin my LV's and I'll-

"You'll what? Tell mommy and daddy you suck dick for extra credit?" I asked innocently.

"you're such a stalker." She exclaimed. "I knew you were a fucking nutjob ever since you moved in months ago. I tried to warn people about you the minute you opened your fucking mouth and now we have a fucking crazy person in the building." She ranted off to herself.

"Rather be crazy than a skank." I said wistfully before I walked out of the room, satisfied with the look of anger on her face.

-4:00 PM-

I hate to admit it but maybe Angela was right about one thing. I really should have kept my mouth shut. Because the minute I opened it, the prospect of me getting this job was thrown no _hauled _out the window. But it was not my fault. No it was Edward Cullen's fault he was a massive dick. I walked into the huge ass pretentious building and was arguing with the secretary because I was five minutes late. She said that because I was late Edward Cullen wouldn't see me. I said it was five minutes and because of that fact she needed to take the stick out of her ass. Once Edward's assistant… Nessa? Renesaam? Or something? Heard the commotion I started, she allowed me to go in- much to the secretary's dismay. Unfortunately, things didn't get better with Mr. Cullen. Who already looked pissed as hell.

"So you spent one semester in college?" He asked dryly. Mr. Edward Cullen was hot. He had bronze hair, nice green eyes and I could tell under that expensive suit he was fit. He was also very tall. Unfortunately, I couldn't admire all of that because he was such an _ass. _

Now I know I wasn't the poster child for scholarly success in terms of a post-secondary education. But the requirements on the stupid website just said you had to have knowledge on the book publishing world and reputable references. _I had that. _Dick.

"No I didn't I dropped out of-

"I know where you dropped out from." He said lazily glancing at my resume unimpressed. Not even hiding it.

"So where are you originally from?"

"Nevada." I answered mechanically.

"And you've had no experience in the book publishing world."

"I have.. like stated in my resume I-

"Yes you interned for a few random publishers in… random cities for… random amounts of time but what did you learn. How can you apply it to anything you'll be doing _here?" He said. _At that point I had already known I wasn't getting the job. So I gave up on trying to get it. Now I was good at selling myself but I feel like I didn't even really try with this guy because well… I didn't want him to purchase me. I just scoffed at his words and his head snapped.

"Really you need me to file papers and get you coffee, lie to the wife you probably have and tell her you're in a meeting when you're having an affair… it doesn't take much experience. You're hiring a secretary… not the president. _Get over yourself" _I stressed rolling my eyes.

"Excuse me?" He said his eyes widened I just shrugged.

"I mean be professional but look at the fucking facts here… all of this is bullshit. You don't need a secretary with a university diploma… judging by the secretary out there the one she probably has didn't do her any good." I said getting up.

"Yah that's right get up and get out… where do you country bumkins get the nerve to come get jobs at places like this anyways!?" He said and I froze. I turned to him.

"Places like this!? You mean really nice big buildings with people who wear expensive shit and take their cars to their _fancy_ job, in their _fancy _office and talk to other _fancy _people who all sit around holding hands and just soak up each others _fancy _lives and awesome work ethic. When in reality they don't realize that their heads are so far up their asses that they don't do anything special and they're just over payed, over dressed, insecure, insignificant Xanax popping losers" I exclaimed. He didn't say anything as his eyes blared with anger and I continued as I picked up my resume and ripped it up as I spoke to him.

"Your website said you had to have knowledge on the book publishing company. I'll have you know that if you read that resume past my dearth of a college experience you'd know that I interned with some of the best literacy agents in the continental US. That I won not one not two but three Twilight writing awards for my short stories before I even _graduated _high school and that I know everything there is to know about every classic, every new aged book every trend because I was trained to know that." I said as I finally had enough of the ripping and placed it on his desk in a neat little pile.

"But I guess all that stuff doesn't matter because I was five minutes late and didn't finish college. I don't even want to work here with people like you who think they're so special because they have nice things and go to nice places and judge everyone. Well you can suck my dick." I sneered the last part quietly before I stalked out of the office. The minute the elevator brought me down to the first floor. I lit up a cigarette and smoked slumping again the glass door of the huge building.

_Book publishing industry was a no… I would have to stick for waitressing for the time being. _


	2. Chapter 2

Why am I like this?

Now to this day I maintained that Angela was a fucking brat. That she was a young skank and just one of those girls who lied to themselves and everyone around them. So, the next week when I was coming home from a pot session with Jacob, Alice and Jasper. I at first saw them and chose to stay the fuck out of it. But when I heard Angela's sobs and begging from my opened window. I rolled my eyes put my flip flops on and went outside to hear them.

"But Ben-

"No Angela… I can't anymore. Sarah is noticing things are different… I love you but if she finds out she's gonna ruin us… She'll ruin you.. I – I cant let that happen." The man said sobbing. Angela was sobbing too. I rested my head against the fire escape as I was just around the corner from them. I lit a cigarette and listened.

"So that's just it… we're done it ends here? What about everything we planned Ben I love you."

"Angela I love you too." He said as choked back a sob. I blew out more smoke. Grimacing at the fact that he actually seemed to be telling the truth. "But despite that fact …despite how much we love each other this should have _never_ happened. My life was ruined a long time ago when I did what I did and got married I… didn't think I'd meet you ever. But I'm going to ruin your life and I _care_ about yours too much to do that." He said.

"Ben wait we can run away we can-

"No we can't baby." He said. "People like us can't run away from things like this." He said so quietly. I closed and sucked in a breath at that, not knowing why his words had such a physical impact on me.

"Goodbye Ang," He said crying.

"Bye, I love you Ben." She said as she sobbed. There was a moment of silence and I saw the grown man get into his awaiting car. I stayed hidden for the most part but I knew she'd round the corner and see me. Just when she did she gave me a look of disgust through her tears.

"Are you happy? The snob was just dumped. Unfortunately for you there's no more blackmail material." She said through her cries, running up the fire scape and into her apartment through the window I know she snuck out in. I sighed before I followed her not really knowing why. When I climbed into her room she looked at me incredulously.

"Oh. My. God. Freak GO AWAY' She screeched. "You are such a weird person do you know that!?" She exclaimed through her sobs. The ones I knew that had nothing to do with me. She was laying on her bed crying but had sit up when I intruded on her moment. Despite her insults, and my past judgements I didn't snap back. I just kneeled on the floor in front of her. She looked at me disgusted, then warily, then sadly. Before she started sobbing again. I hesitated as I took her into my arms but when she let me hold her. She spoke.

"You know." She said through her tears as she held me tightly. "I must be the biggest fucking idiot for think he'd just _choose me_" She exclaimed as she cried. I stroked her hair softly as I let her cry.

"No honey.. you're not you're just-

I said trailing off not even knowing what to say, I suppose I had been in Angela's position once in my life. I wasn't even really that much older than her. But everything from that time in my life seemed like such a blur in this moment… in any moment where I needed it for reference.

"Young." I said finally finding a word that would make sense in this situation as I stroked her hair like the big sister the both of us never really got to have. "One day you're going to meet someone who would risk everything for you regardless of what he has to lose… even if it's a lot or if it's a little. When you meet a man who would risk it all. That's the only time you should take that risk and fall in love." I said giving her words that sounded so wise I don't even know how I strummed them up at all. She didn't say anything but just nodded as she cried into my shirt. Loud teenage, heartbreak sobs. Completely forgetting that I was the poor freak who blackmailed her into wearing her designer clothes to a job interview that she bombed.

-Monday-

After that altercation with Angela, it had been made clear to me that she wasn't going anywhere. The next day she had showed up to my apartment in her school girl uniform rocking back and forth.

_I came to get my clothes since you did steal them. _

Was all she said before she came into my apartment and never _actually _left that night. She had been hiding away in her house not going to school too "Heartbroken" to go and everyday I stormed upstairs before work woke her ass up and argued with her making her go. That was another thing I didn't understand. Angela's parents were _never home. _I mean for the short while that I've lived in New York I always thought her parents were around I mean I had seen them a few times here and there. It was only getting to know her that I realized that her parents were home maybe once in a while. She had a cook that made all her meals, a housekeeper that had basically raised her and a black credit card for anything she needed. This was why I took it upon myself to march my ass up everyday argue the covers off of her and make her get her skanky little ass to school.

_Why was I like this? _

Why did I care about the stupid teenage rich bitch who had ratted on me for smoking, constantly called me poor and tipped me horribly with her friends when she ate at the restaurant I worked at on purpose. I didn't actually know why, but I knew I needed to figure it out, not because I wanted to know but because there were events in my life that would happen that made it clear that I needed to know.

_Why was I like this? _

-Friday-

"Okay so what about if I have one?" Maria asked me as she looked at her celery with disgust at the bar. Alice got called into work and Jasper was… I mean being busy rich Jasper. So they left Maria here with me and Jake while we handled a rush hour. I went down to her level.

"Listen to me kid. You are not going to negotiate with me. You are going to eat every single piece of that celery _and then _you can have your lollipop." I said playing hard ball. She just crossed her arms and huffed jutting out her bottom lip to cry.

"But." She said on the verge of fake tears.

"No." I said sternly cutting it off before she could even try it with me.

"Oh, so you boss around little kids too?" Said Angela's voice from behind me. She had her backpack and she was in her prissy private school girl uniform.

"What do you want brat? I'm busy." I said

"Yeah I can see that." She said sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"I am, I'm watching brat two-point- O over there and we're in the middle of a lunch rush with a bunch of rich snobs." I said not even caring that there were some customers giving me disapproving looks.

"How about this." Angela said to me. "I'll watch my fellow brat here and make sure she eats all her celery. Maybe even take her for a treat afterwards if I can hang in the apartment tonight." She said.

"Fine." I said. "But you're doing your homework in front of me and we are _not _watching the jersey shore reunion" I said which made her pout- much like Maria over there. Sticking to her word Angela made sure Maria ate all her celery before she took her down the street for some ice cream. Later that night when both Alice and Jasper told me they were both caught up. It was decided that Maria would just sleep at my place and I'd bring both her and Angela to school in the morning considering the fact that I had caught Angela skipping school and going to the mall. Now I had to make sure the fucking girl walked _in the building _every fuckin day. I don't even know why I made it my responsibility to make sure this kid didn't fall apart. I just did and it was driving me fucking nuts cause I didn't have the time to give a shit… but here I was giving a shit. So that was how I ended up with both Angela and Maria sleeping over my tiny little apartment that night.

"What does fugitive mean?" Maria asked as Angela sat there in front of my TV. Angela was doing Maria's hair in one of those little "French braids" and Maria who seemed to have a new obsession with Angela was eating it all up. Sticking to her side and soaking up everything Angela said like a sponge. I was in the kitchen drinking beer as I made sloppy Joes. Being one of the only things I actually knew how to make perfectly.

"A person whose on the run from the law I think." Angela said as she did her braiding in Maria's hair.

"Oh… well that looks like fun. Maybe I should be a fugitive." Maria said cutely as she ate some candy I told her no to but Angela said yes to. I switched the TV off just as the braid was done.

"Come eat." Was all I said as Angela helped Maria off of her and took her hand. Helping her settle into the seat at the table and putting the food in front of her. I had to admit Angela was a stuck up brat… but she was a good kid. Maybe that's why I just wanted her to _stay one. _I sat down with them and they started eating Maria going off at the mouth about how there was a magician at her school who had seven fingers. Angela said she didn't believe in magic and that started off a whole other debate. Maria wasn't having it according to her.

_Magic was everywhere _

It was in the flowers and in the sky and in the weather and magic is what made the world go round! She argued. Angela still challenged her though. I just watched amused, as they went back and forth. That was it that was all the night was supposed to be. But then there was a knock on the door, and like in the movies we all froze.

"You don't have friends who is that?" Angela said. If I wasn't so confused I would've matched her snide remark. But because I was I didn't. I knew Jacob was with his flavor of the week and Jasper and Alice already explained where they would be. No one ever showed up at my house unannounced. Plus. Besides those three people and now Angela… I didn't _have _friends.

"Don't kill each other." I instructed calmly before I went over to answer the door. When I saw Edward Cullen standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets looking like a lost puppy, my face scrunched up.

"What the _fuck_ are _you_ doing _here_?" I said. Then immediately shut my eyes because I already knew what was coming.

"Hey! You owe me a dollar!" Screeched Maria in the back. I rolled my eyes before I took one out of my pockets and handed it to the little girl. She looked at the dollar like it was a huge ass prize. Edward who looked a little lost now looked confused… but amused.

"Thanks!" Maria said with a smile before she hopped over happily back to the table. Edward stepped in… Uninvited.

"I need to talk to you." He said to me. When he saw Maria and Angela staring at him… not even trying to hide it. He smiled at them.

"Hello… I'm Edward Cullen." He said waving. I just looked at him annoyed. I prided myself on not having a stick up my ass but really? Who the fuck does that? Who did this guy think he was? Strolling into my fucking house uninvited all suave saying hello to my surrogate children?

"Hello." Angela said with a bright smile. "Angela Webber." She said still looking up at him with a bright smile that she and I both knew was making him uncomfortable. I finally decided to speak after a long awkward silence.

"Angela can you take Maria upstairs to your apartment and show her your piano please?" I said sweetly.

"Sure." Angela said back sarcastically and sweetly to match my tone. She lifted up Maria and placed her on her feet. Before she took her hand and walked her out. I closed the door behind them and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Is there a reason why you're showing up to my house unannounced?" I challenged. He shoved his hands in his pocket again kind of rocking back and forth. I noticed his muscles kind of bulging under his white dress shirt that was rolled up.

"I came to apologize. For… my attitude at the interview. I realized that the way I was acting was rude and what I said was… rude."

"Mhmm." I said calling bullshit he ignored my sarcasm.

"I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you." He said rubbing a hand over his face. Maybe just in that second I pitied him.

_That was where it all went to shit Bella… Really. Because it was the feeling of pity that prompted that question. It was that question that prompted that honest answer, and it was that information that prompted our decision. _

"What were you angry about?" I asked.

"Honestly?... My ex girlfriend is… getting married" He said. Then he added the last part. "To my best friend." He said.

"Well… I may not be an expert, but do you even have a best friend anymore?" I said sarcastically. He smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes at what I said.

"I suppose I don't" He muttered I shrugged.

"Just crash the wedding." I suggested easily walking into my kitchen.

"What?" He said amused.

"Yeah just crash it… tell her your undying love for her and she'll think it's the most romantic thing ever. It works in all the movies." I said being truthful.

"Bella… Life is not a movie." He said amused. I just shrugged again.

"I like movies." Was my simple answer.

"Anyways" He said, rolling his eyes at my simpleton of a brain. "Look I just came over here to explain myself regardless. I was having a bad day and I probably was an ass. Usually I wouldn't have apologized but your… speech kind of really stuck out to me." He said truthfully.

"Well" I said walking over to the door still not really understanding why he decided to actually come over here and apologize. I mean he was a dick but why hold onto that? I guess a regular person would be so appreciative of the fact that he came all the way over here making an effort to apologize but like… _who cares that much? And why? _In fact when I had left his office after my little outburst I would have never spoken about it if Jacob didn't ask. It was all forgotten.

_The show must go on. Keep it moving. _

"If that's all. I appreciate your apology but I have two girls I really need to get to school on time tomorrow so.." I said with the door open. He just nodded slowly again his hands still in his pockets. He took one step, then two. Then stopped. I eyes him suspiciously.

"Do you still want the job? As my main assistant?" He asked.

"I never really wanted it to be honest." I said. "I'm fine being a waitress." I said truthfully and straight forward. He looked at me like I was crazy, like I was speaking a foreign language and he had no translator.

"I mean in my company there is major room for growth and expansion. You can be more than just a waitress in a few short years if you take the job. We're doing a huge expansion going into movies and entertainment." He said selling me his pitch.

"I'm fine being a waitress. I wouldn't fit in at your office anyways." I said

"You wouldn't need to fit in… you're the head assistant." He said with a grin that made my heart stop. The man was pretty. He was beautiful I would give him that. He had an air about him that attracted people to him, I could see that.

_People like that were always dangerous, I always avoided them. But for some reason with him it was like every danger sign was muted. _

"I don't think-

"Please?" He said cutting me off. I looked at him curiously. "I need someone like you with this expansion… I need someone whose gonna tell it as it is and skip past the bullshit. I need a hard ass who doesn't give a fuck." He muttered. I just smirked.

"You really want me in your fancy little building doing fancy little jobs in my converse?" I asked him, challenging him. He just smirked before he answered.

"I'll see you Monday, 9:00 AM." Was all he said before he left and I called Maria and Angela back downstairs to brush their teeth and eat. Ignoring the millions of questions they asked me about the handsome man who just showed up unannounced.

-My First Day-

My first day at Cullen and Co publishing was one I wasn't prepared for. Not work wise… but mentally wise. I came into the building with my head held high, ripped jeans tattered converse and leather jacket. I kept my hair in its long natural wavy way… not bothering to even try to look professional because who the hell were we kidding here? They needed me, not the other way around. Plus when I dropped off Angela at school this morning one of her teachers asked me if they could meet with me to discuss her. I told them I wasn't her mother or guardian or _anything _really. That I was just a neighbour who took it upon myself to make sure she didn't become a crackhead stripper. Or worse_ a private school dropout crackhead stripper_. After blinking at me a few times she still insisted that I come to talk to her. Because I was _an active member _in her life.

_See? I just got myself into these fucking messes. _

The same bitch from the other day who insisted I couldn't see Edward looked at me up and down and her face got red.

"I thought we kicked you out?" She sneered. "Listen I don't know why you're here but I will call security-

"Lauren!" Said that girl coming from his office. Renesssa? Renmm? I forget.

"What?" Lauren sneered.

"We hired her… now stop." She instructed calmly. She was standing in the doorway of Edward's office wearing what I call grown up clothes. I remember growing up and looking at my mother wear similar outfits. She was in a black skirt and matching blazer. She had stockings on, a cell phone in her hand and her hair was perfectly waved. She looked professional but still hot.

"Bella." She said to me with a nice smile. I looked at her with one that didn't reach my eyes.

"Hey…. Uh?"

"Renesme." She said smiling brightly." "It's kind of a mouth full, you can just call me Nessie. Or Ness." She said as we walked into Edward's office.

"Or pain in the ass." Edward muttered not looking up from a file he had in his hand. He was dressed smartly in a suit and he kind of made my clit twitch… kind of. Renesme said nothing at that as she poured us all some water that was on Edward's little bar section. She handed me a glass and I took it graciously. Edward finally looked up from his file and they both smiled at me softly. I scrunched up my face.

"Okay Bella lets get you briefed on your job." Renesme said sitting down beside Edward. "As you know the company is going through a huge expansion. We're the leading publisher in places like Australia, England, all over Europe and of course-

"New York." They both said.

"Yes, Yes Edward is so great and powerful… so what exactly will I be doing?" I asked with my arms crossed. Renesme just smirked at Edward.

"I like her." Was all she said before she went to a drawer in Edwards desk and pulled out a huge manila envelope.

"You're Renesme's new partner. You guys are the bridge of communication between the New York office and the rest of the world." Edward instructed.

"Basically… we run his life. Personal and private." Renesme said I looked between the two of them. I looked at how Renesme seemed to be in synch with everything Edward did. If he reached out for something she knew what it was. She fixed his tie, she finished his sentences and she even sometimes literally spoke for him.

_This guy was fucking babied to the max. _

"Ok" was all I said. Knowing men like him and knowing what they needed. Edward was like my father and though I loathed the man, I knew how to deal with him. _Atleast I used to_.

"Great so just fill out your work emergency contacts." Renesme instructed handing me a huge paper booklet with questions about my personal information. I looked at all the shit they wanted to know.

"I don't have any of this stuff." I said looking at various spots where they requested my high school, place of birth, moms number dads number emergency contact.

"You don't have an emergency contact? Or parents?" Edward challenged with a quirked eyebrow.

"You know some people have dead parents? Its possible?" I said to him with an eye roll. He looked kind of taken aback almost apologetic. But he didn't need to be. I took the huge booklet demanding answers and closed it. I picked up a sticky pad and scribbled stuff on it.

_Name-Bella Victoria Dwyer. _

_Alice- Friend 888-9893_

_Jasper- Friend 888-9898_

_Angela-Brat (Surrogate child) 888-0906_

_From-Nevada _

_High school- High school of Nevada. _

I smiled happily at all the information there was to know about me on the post it. I handed it to Angela who took it with a raised eyebrow.

"That's all the information on me… No need for the twenty page document. It'll save everyone a lot of fucking time." I said with a smile as I crossed my arms over my chest. She just looked at Edward and shrugged. Happy she had less information that she had to trudge through and input in some database.

"Alright Bella… Welcome to the team. Lets get started." Edward said with a little smile.


	3. Chapter 3

The Bridge of Communication

-Two weeks Later-

When Edward said that Renesme and I were the bridge of communication between him, the company and the rest of the world. He wasn't kidding. In the short amount of time that I was here I learned that Lauren- The bitchy secretary whose desk outside of Edward's was demoted. She was sharing company secrets and they couldn't actually fire her…Yet. Hence why they needed me to take her spot. So, my new rightful place was right outside Edward's office. My desk sported a photo of me and my surrogate children in one frame and me Jacob, Alice and Jasper in the other- standing outside of Maria's.

The job itself was fine, in fact the job itself was easy. Like I said Edward was like my father, and I had spent a lot of time around my father. I knew how he worked, so it was like second nature to be what Edward needed. I had seen it for years in the past.

_RING RING RING _

"Cullen publishing and Co, Bella speaking." I answered mechanically hand poised over my laptop to start typing.

"This is Mr. Sugawaski from the base in Japan I need to speak to Edward or Renesme on an important matter regarding the Voiceco contract." He said. I rolled my eyes. We had told this guy no seven times and he kept calling the office trying to speak to Renesme or Edward.

"Mr. Sugawaski Edward is busy right now but I can definitely have him call you back as soon as possible?" I suggested knowing he wouldn't take the fuck off.

"No. It's imperative that I speak with him now." He said giving me issues like he always fucking did.

"I apologize but unfortunately Edward and Renesme are busy. I can leave a message if you'd like or I will hang up." I said putting my own little flare on dealing with this piece of shit.

"Lauren never gave me any problems like this." He muttered before he hung up.

_Yeah and that's why she was demoted stupid. _

I thought as I hung up the phone.

"Bella?" Said Edward peaking his head out of his office door. I looked up at him. He indicated for me to come into his office with his finger. I followed that sexy ass finger and went into his office. Renesme was already in there on his leather chair relaxing as she read a book. Her long flowy hair in a high ponytail, her fashionable but sensible heels still on. Her eyes moved to me and she smiled brightly. I smiled back softly. I looked to Edward whose suit jacket wasn't on and his shirt was kind of unbuttoned. He looked rather disheveled. I squinted my eyes.

_I wonder if those two were fucking? _

I wouldn't be surprised if they were considering how, _comfortable? _They always seemed to be with each other. But then I got the vibe that they weren't. I wouldn't know unless I outwrightly asked. So I did.

"Are you two fucking each other?" I asked as I sat across from Edward.

"Nope." They answered casually and normally at the same time. Used to my unprofessional questions and tone by now. The three of us were getting used to each other. Before I felt like only Renesme and Edward would be that in synch and in tune with each other but now, in the short time that I was here I had joined that flow. They matched my snarky remarks, they laughed at my inappropriate jokes and they backed me up when I cussed someone off. Knowing I never did it if it wasn't necessary.

"Good to know." I answered, knowing that they were being truthful. "So what's up?" I asked.

"Tanya's coming here." Renesme said mechanically from her spot on the chair. Not looking up from her book. Edward nodded.

"Which means I need you to be on your best behaviour." Edward answered. Buttoning up his shirt with those sexy arms covering his sexy chest. My clit didn't twitch it was shaking. I rolled my eyes.

"First of all whose Tanya and secondly I'm always on my best behaviour." I said lying through my teeth.

"No, you're not you're actually almost never on your best behaviour. You've fought with someone from every department you asked a fat co-worker when her baby was due and every time someone says something mean you pull a prank on them." Edward said not amused as he finished fixing himself up.

"And we caught you smoking weed on the employee roof. Four times." Renesme chimed in.

"You told me to stop smoking cigarettes?" I said defensively. Edward scoffed amused before he sat down putting his hands together.

"And Tanya is the ex-girlfriend who fucked him over." Renesme answered again, mechanically not even bothering to look up.

"Ahh I see. The one who got away is briefly coming back and you don't want me to embarrass you." I said amused. He rolled his eyes.

"That's not-

"Don't worry. I'll be on my best behaviour. I might even make you look good." I said with a wink. Before I got up, taking the files on his desk.

"Did you fax these already?" I asked Renesme.

"Yeah… but he needs the files on Micromax." She instructed.

"Cool" Was all I said before I walked out of the office and for once since being hired here. Did my job without making noise and going unnoticed, because until Tanya got here that was what Edward needed of me.

-Two hours later-

Tanya was pretty. No… she wasn't pretty she was gorgeous. She had long flowing strawberry blond hair and she was the image of the type of girl that Edward would pursue. She walked in like she owned the place.

_Cause it was obvious that once upon a time she basically had. _

She was in a white flowy top- her hair was down in waves and her blue eyes sparkled with class and grace. She was in designer skinny jeans and shoes I know cost over 800 dollars because Angela had many pairs… _and because I knew these things. _

Her nails were painted jungle red – the color of a confident woman, she had a little Chanel bag dangling over her shoulder. She walked up to my desk and looked me up and down with a little smile. It wasn't full of attitude it was more … questionable. She was most definitely wondering why a girl in a band tee shirt, vans and eyeliner with chipped nails was in a position so powerful in this oh so _fancy _company. I wasn't like the Lauren she knew who was head to toe in designer business casual, who answered with class never cussed anyone off or was always for the most part punctual. I wasn't like the golden gal Renesme who was always on time, punctual, with an ivy league education. Always ready to handle any crisis with a smile on her face and who never forgot _either _of the company cell phones Edward demanded we have. But yet here I was, a main member a coveted piece in Edward's collection of people who he kept closest to him. I know that confused this girl who only briefly looked at me. I know it confused her because truthfully it confused just about everyone. Nobody understood it… _maybe Edward didn't even really understand it. _

"Hello. I'm Tanya Denali I was just here to see Edward." She said softly with a smile. It wasn't sarcastic in fact if she met anyone else who wasn't me they might even mistake her for a genuinely sweet girl. But I knew girls like Tanya. I knew she wasn't sweet and I knew she was judging me. I wanted so badly to make her uncomfortable, say something sarcastic.

_A therapist would probably say that I used sarcasm as a defense mechanism. But what the fuck did they know?_

I didn't do any of those things though. I just smiled and nodded my head. I did it because Edward asked me to be on my best behaviour. I know it was because he still loved the girl and for some reason wanted to make sure she thought he had things under control in his life. I didn't want to make him look bad. So, I picked up the phone and pressed speed dial number 1.

"Yes." Came Edward's expecting voice.

"Mr. Cullen.. A Tanya Denali is here to see you. I'm sending her in." I said professionally.

"Uh okay." He said probably shocked at my tone of voice, sounding so professional and in line.

_Like I said, I might even make him look good. _

I hung up and looked at her with a smile that looked real. But it wasn't and because hers wasn't either. We both knew that but we kept up the charade.

"You can go right on in Ms. Denali." I said politely and professionally. She smiled giving me a little nod before she went in and closed the glass door behind her. When she was out of sight I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair. I heard a laugh to the side of me and it was Renesme. Who had her arms crossed over her chest.

"Very nicely played." She said smiling from her desk. I rolled my eyes.

"That girl is so full of shit." I said truthfully. I expected her to disagree, maybe even shake her head at me like she usually did when I said something she didn't agree with. But Renesme didn't do that. She just smiled softly and nodded her head.

"I know." She said quietly, I looked up at her in surprise. She just looked away.

-9:00 PM-

I was on the employee roof. It was all the way at the top floor obviously and at first it had scared the hell out of me because of how high it was. Then I saw a sunset on this roof and I was hooked. I was here anytime I could get away from Edward, Renesme and their demands. I lit my blunt and looked over at the New York skyline. I had to admit Edward's building was an architectural masterpiece.

"Bella you up here?" Said the sexy goddess himself.

"No." I said as I took a drag from the blunt. He just chuckled coming to sit beside me on the floor. He didn't say anything about my illegal smoking or the fact that technically I should have been finishing up the days work. He just watched the view, like I did.

"Beautiful right?" He asked. I nodded.

"Kind of takes your breath away."

"When I bought the building, I insisted that it have a good view… I always loved looking at nice things." He said quietly. I looked up at him, his side profile was beautiful. I didn't mean to be nosey but for some reason I wanted to know.

"How was your meeting with Tanya?" I asked him.

"She came to invite me to her wedding. She came to make sure there were no hard feelings." He said his voice drifting off.

"You okay?" I asked him. He took in a deep breath.

"I'll be okay." He admitted. "Eventually aren't we all?" He said I shrugged.

"You really loved her huh?"

"Oh yeah… Had a ring of my own." He whispered quietly. His eyes met mine and I smiled a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"I was going to propose to her in Italy… cause she loves Italy." He smiled softly probably thinking of her. Probably going back to a time where they went to Italy and were so in love. It made me sick, that girl was a fickle bitch but I couldn't tell him that. I couldn't tell him anything, because he loved her. But I knew girls like Tanya.

_There was no way she could love Edward the way I knew he needed to be loved. _

"That sounds great Edward." I whispered to him. "You'll have that one day again." I promised him. He just shook his head.

"I only ever wanted it with her. I saw everything with that girl… I saw the kids the house in Greenwich. I saw years of perfection… an absolute perfect life. All I needed her to do was give me time to… figure out how to put it in motion. But I guess I waited too long. She ran to Embry's arms and I kept my ring in my pocket…. You know to this day. I still keep it in there hoping that one day I'll have the chance to give it to her." He said. I just threw out my blunt and then looked at him.

"You know Edward… It's not the end of the world." I said softly. "Let go of the ring… let go of her. There are other perfect pictures you're letting her make you look like a fool… the best thing you can do in life is… keep it moving." I whispered. Telling him my life motto.

"Keep it moving huh?" He said with a little laugh. But it was one of those laughs where you know the person wasn't amused. "Bella do you know what it's like to have everything planned out to have a whole life with someone and then just have it ripped from you… over things that aren't in your control?" He asked me. I opened my mouth to answer but then I closed it again. I didn't say anything because I knew that even though it was framed like a question, Edward wasn't asking me… _he was assuming I hadn't_.

"It hurts like hell." He finished with. I just nodded softly picking at my shoes. We sat in silence for a little bit and then I looked at him.

"You want to go for a drink?"

-Midnight-

Edward wasn't a drinker. I wish he had told me this before he took seven shots of hard core tequila at one of Jaspers bars'. Jasper who was working while taking little breaks to fuck Alice in the back were amused at my drunk boss and how obnoxious he got when he drank.

"Four fucking years of my life. I gave to that bitch can you believe that?" He yelled out to me as I sat beside him at the bar. I hid my smile as he ranted. It was fun to see him this way. Posh Edward who barely ever swore, always in a suit, _oh so very responsible._ Was an obnoxious funny drunk. Alice would sit with us for small periods of time while Jasper worked and we would laugh at him going off about something.

"Edward no more for you." I said amused as I tried to take a beer away from him. He yanked it back quickly with a mischievous little smile.

"Ah Ah Ah Bella I'm your boss." He said as he took more of the beer. I just put my hands to my face and looked at him a little stressed and a little amused.

"You know what I don't even know if I was in love with her… I think I was in love with the dream." He said shaking his head after a few months taking another gulp. "She was actually a little annoying." He blurted out and then started laughing. I just looked at him in amused horror.

"Everything always had to be organic… Like bitch eat a fucking burger once in a while!" He yelled. Jasper who opened the back door looked at Edward ranting amused and then looked at me.

_You're insane. _

He mouthed to me. I just nodded.

_I know. _

I mouthed back agreeing with him. I didn't know why I suggested drinking. I just wanted the guy to smile, I just wanted the fucking guy to be happy I'll admit it. I just wanted him to forget about Tanya.

_And to this day It's hard for me to admit that I didn't want him to love her… because maybe just maybe even in how fresh everything was. I wanted him to like me. But I'll never admit that… not to myself not to you… not now, not then, not ever. _

"And do you know her boobs are fake!? I paid for those jugs!" He yelled.

I gasped. And then I laughed and then I sighed.

"Okay Edward… lets get you home." I said taking some cash from my wallet and paying for his drinks.

"But we're having a time here Bella! Lets stay!" He yelled.

"Yeah lets not… shows over I'm bringing you home." I said He rolled his eyes childishly and stood up, and then stumbled. I laughed. I helped him, he swung his arm over mine and after saying goodbye to Jasper who was shaking his head and Alice who was giggling behind her palm, stuffed myself and Edward into a cab. Now Edward had gotten touchy, touchy feely, feely.

"Edward where do you live?" I asked as the cab driver looked at me expectantly.

"Why you wanna do a little something something?" He suggested. I hid back my amusement trying to be stern.

"Edward!" I said the cab driver thank God. Was just amused.

"The Eclipse buildings." Edward slurred out. The man nodded and we drove off I rolled my eyes internally. Of course he lived in the Eclipse buildings. Those were only the most prestige buildings in the entire city. People were literally waiting for people to die to get properties in those buildings. When we pulled up in front of the building I all but dragged Edward out of the car. I haggled to get him in the damn residence elevator but when I did I swiped his key so it could take us to the penthouse.

_Of course he lived in the penthouse._

"You know you have the best hair did anyone ever tell you that? Do you dye it darker? it looks light up close" He asked as he played with some of my tresses still leaning on me. I smacked his hand away. When the elevator got to the penthouse I walked in and what I saw kind of shocked me… the place was beautiful. I mean I had seen beautiful homes of course I guess I was just taken aback by how nice his place was. I took his keys and put it on the table in the foyer.

"Come on Bella… I'll show you my room." He said suggestively as he took my hand and all but drunkenly dragged me to his bedroom. I rolled my eyes and shoved him onto his obnoxiously large bed. I stood in front of him in-between his legs as I took his suit jacket off. It fell on the floor.

"Oh you're undressing me. Yes have your way with me." He as he stuck his head in-between my breasts. I rolled my eyes and took his face in my hands.

"You and I are not going to do anything… ever." I said to him.

"I think we should have sex." He said completely ignoring what I said. I rolled my eyes and shoved him back as I took off his shoes. First left, then right. He stretched his arms out and just laid there. I laughed a little bit as I made him stand up, so that I can adjust him to get into his bed, under the covers. Comfortably.

"Did I ever tell you that you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen." He whispered to me looking down at me as I held him up. He said it so normally in that moment I actually thought he wasn't drunk, my heart thumped. He smiled a crooked grin that I had grown to love and then he put his forehead to mine. "I think you're beautiful… I love how you dance to the beat of your own drum you know that? I think you're gorgeous… not just the way you look I think you're personality is gorgeous." He admitted and chuckled a little to himself. "But you'd never love a boring guy like me would you?" He added the last part softly. In that moment my heart ached for him. I had no idea what came over me… but we got closer and closer and then we kissed. It was soft, and amazing and even as a damn drunk I could admit. Edward Cullen could kiss. When we pulled apart I looked at him wide eyes and in shock. He didn't say anything as he just drunkenly nodded his head.

"Nice." Was all he said as he fell onto the bed and closed his eyes. I laughed a little bit and tucked him in under the covers. I went into the washroom and found his Advil, I placed it on the nightstand. I put a bottle of water and set his alarm for a reasonable time to get up and get to work. The whole time he just mumbled random things in his sleep. When I turned around to leave my converse got stuck on his suit jacket that fell on the floor and I picked it up. When it did I picked up the little box that fell out. I knew what it was but for some reason I still popped it open and when I saw the beautiful Tiffany engagement ring at me for some reason I got emotional.

_I kept my ring in my pocket…. You know to this day. I still keep it in there hoping that one day I'll have the chance to give it to her. _

I blinked back tears. Tears that- I didn't understand why they wanted to fall- Before I looked at the ring and then at Edward's sleeping body. I smiled softly putting the ring back in it's rightful place in his pocket and folding everything neatly before I left his fancy little ring, and his fancy little apartment behind.

-The next morning-

"Oh Bella's got a crush on the boss man!" Angela sneered as she sat at the table eating pancakes that I had made for her. I rolled my eyes.

"Please the man is a lost cause." I said as I remembered to grab both my work phones, and stuffing everything I needed in the little bag that Alice gave me.

"Oh yeah then why are you dressed like a girl today?" She asked looking at my skirt.

"Because we have very important people coming to the office today. So, I got to look a little professional if you must know." I said. Rolling my eyes at the annoying inquisitive teenager.

"I think you and the hunk will make a perfect little balanced out couple." She said as she added whip cream to her pancakes. Before cutting into them again and stuffing them into her mouth.

"Nothing will ever go on between me and that man he's literally still in love with his ex… guys like that are dangerous." I said as I swung my bag over my shoulder and applied some lipgloss to my lips.

"Then why do you want him to notice you then? Are you wearing the lip gloss for the important men at the office too?" She said condescendingly as she ate.

"Shut up Angela." I said putting the lipgloss in my purse. She just smirked.

"Just admit it.. You like the guy." She said.

"Angela… shut up. If I get a call saying you skipped fourth again I'll kill you, Understand?" I said as I walked toward her. I went down to her level.

"understood." She said dully as she put more whip cream into her mouth from the can. I shook my head amused as I went to leave.

"Lock up! And don't be late to Maria's recital." I instructed her.

"I'm meeting you at the train station right?" She asked.

"Right." I said and then I opened the door. "Be good." Was the last thing I yelled at her before I left my apartment and made my way to work. When I got to the office and settled at my desk Renesme just looked at me with a knowing smile. I tried to avoid her gaze but after a while I couldn't.

"What?" I sneered.

"Nothing." She said smugly before she went back to her documents. I huffed but before I could say more Edward poked his head out the door.

"Ness?"

"Yah?" She answered.

"Can you go get Hilary and let her know her document was trash and to redo it." He instructed nicely.

"Sure." She said perkily before she got up and disappeared down the hallway.

"Bella?"

"Yah?" I answered hoping he'd send me on a task too so I didn't have to face him.

"Can you come in here for a sec?" He asked. I groaned internally but still nodded and followed him into his office. He didn't even try to be professional.

"I am so sorry." He breathed out once the door was closed. I laughed a little bit.

"It's okay Edward really… it is okay."

"That was completely inappropriate of me and I should have _never_ put you in a position-

"You didn't put me in a position." I said nicely giving him a little pat. "I put you in the position when I asked you out for drinks." I said nicely. He just sat behind his desk his head in his hands.

"I am-

"Edward!" I exclaimed going to sit across from him. "It's okay… I've travelled many states by mini van worse things have happened to me then my millionaire boss drunkenly kissing me." I said his eyes went wide.

"I _kissed _you!" He exclaimed eyes wide.

"No." I said quickly.

"Oh for fucks sake! Bella I am so-

"Edward!" I said again. "It's fine I swear if It wasn't I would knee you in the balls and quit." I said being honest with him. He sat there and just nodded at my outburst. I smiled at him.

"It was a good kiss." I joked. Despite his obvious shame, he laughed. He laughed so hard he rested his head on his desk. Then he looked up at me.

"I think I'll keep you." Is all he said before he sat back in his desk. "Get to work." He said softly. And then with a smile of my own, I did in fact get to work.

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	4. Chapter 4

I Don't Even Understand

Edward P.O.V

"Stop looking at me like that." I sneered at Renesme as we ate our early morning pancakes in my office. She just smiled brightly as she poured syrup all over hers.

"Like what?" My best friend and partner in crime since we were in college said to me.

"Like you know something I do not." I said as I roughly put the buttery pancakes in my mouth. Pancakes I started having with Renesme when Tanya refused to serve me my favorite dish because of how "hearty" it was and how full of cholesterol it had been. When Renesme heard of the fact that she wouldn't let me eat pancakes. We started ordering pancakes on Fridays before we started the days' work. Renesme never really liked Tanya, claimed she was too stuck up and had a stick up her ass. To be fair Tanya hated her too, said she was secretly in love with me and trying to break us up. That though was ridiculous. Renesme and I went on one date in college hooked up, realized we couldn't ever be the one for each other and became best friends. If we wanted to be together we could've long before Tanya came into the photo and long afterwards. I loved the girl just not in the way needed to be in a relationship… Renesme was just my best friend… it started and ended there.

"You like her… you like the scruffy little girl." She said smugly as she ate.

"She wears converse to a corporate building and put confetti in a blender for God sakes… do not insult me." I said as I ate.

"You stare at her all the time-

"No I don't"

"You stutter when she's around-

"No. I. Don't"

"You kissed her." She said finally and I groaned. I banged my head on my desk.

"I fucking like her." I said quietly. Renesme just laughed out loud. I looked up and glared at her and she put her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles.

"Listen. It's a little crush and Tanya-

"Is getting married Edward. _To fucking Embry_." She sneered the last part. "Even if you do still kind of love her… you want to marry a girl who would betray you like that?" She asked me. Like she asked me every time we had the conversation of me moving onto another woman. I didn't respond and in that moment, I felt the engagement ring that I always remembered to carry in my pocket feel like an a hundred pound weight.

It hurt –

_No it killed. _

When she came by and asked me to come to the wedding. It hurt like fucking hell. I still loved the woman. Sure, we fought a lot, sure we didn't see eye to eye on things.

_Things weren't perfect. _

But I bought her a ring and I had promised to be the person she always envisioned herself with. She said she saw me being even bigger than I already was. So, I expanded the company. She said she saw us in downtown Manhattan before we married and moved to Greenwich, so I fought like hell, spent a fortune to get us into that amazing ass penthouse in that amazing building. My mother said she was perfect my father would've married her himself if he wasn't already.

_So I bought the ring. _

I saw what everybody else saw.

_And I fucking loved it. I loved the life I saw, it looked perfect. _

And then it wasn't. And then one night… I came home too early.

"You know Edward. I want you to be happy more than anyone you know… you know that."

"I know that." I agreed as I ate.

"But I don't want you to be with Tanya… I want you to be with anybody _but _Tanya." She said. I was shocked at what she said. Because she'd said certain things, but she's never been so straight forward about it. "I think she's all wrong for you. I genuinely believe that you and Tanya are one of those couples that everyone believes would look so perfect and just… are empty." She said truthfully as she ate. I blinked again. "I'm not saying marry Bella. I'm not even saying date the girl. I'm saying acknowledge that what you and Tanya had is done. Having the perfect ring does not mean you had the perfect relationship." She said. Before I could really even respond to that we heard laughter outside the door. Both of us looked at each other curiously before we went out and saw Bella's visitors. A tanned muscular man, a little girl and the teenager that always seemed to be following Bella everywhere. Angela. That was her name, and a little short girl with hair up to her shoulders.

"This isn't a playground kid." Bella said amused as she held onto the little girl. She didn't notice Renesme and I had opened the door to see the commotion.

"Oh hey. It's the Hotty Mc-Hotty boss man Angela." Said the little girl in Bella's arms. Just then Bella looked back at me and blushed a little bit.

"Do you have a filter? Ever?" The woman with short hair asked.

"Uncle Jacob says filters are for snobs." She answered at her mother as she took her from Bella's arms. The mother looked up at me.

"Sorry for the loud we just came to visit our little Bella at her job here." The girl said.

"Uh no we came to get her because she promised she would make us sloppy joes" Angela said not even bothering to filter herself or be coy. The short woman just stretched her hand out.

"My name is Alice… the child is mine… I apologize." She said I just shook her hand laughing.

"I'm Edward." I answered.

"And who are _you?" _The muscular man said looking at Renesme. She was leaning against the doorframe minding her own business.

"Renesme." She answered simply. "And you?" She asked him.

"Whoever you want me to be." He answered suggestively. I choked out a laugh at the man brazenly flirting with Renesme and Bella just looked at the man with aggravation.

"Is there a girl you won't try to sleep with Jake?" She asked him.

"That is all woman though." He said looking at Renesme up and down. Renesme just laughed softly.

"You can take me out to dinner. Tomorrow, I like Italian." Renesme said doing that thing she did that generally put men under her spell. This Jake character didn't stand a chance.

"_Whatever _you say beautiful." Jake said as Renesme strutted past him.

"Bella will give you my number. Don't be late, I punish for that." She said seductively as she walked away. Jake stared at her ass biting his fingers as she walked away. His head snapped to Bella in anger.

"Are you fucking kidding me!? You had that hot piece of ass here the whole time and _never told me?" _he said angrily. Both Bella, Alice and Angela rolled their eyes.

"Hey!" The little girl said going up to Jake and tugging on his pant leg. He let out a groan and went into his pocket before he slapped a twenty in the little girls hand.

"Interest." He said the girl looked at the twenty with stars in her eyes before she went to her mothers arms again.

"Mr. Hotty can you let Bella go? She makes the best sloppy joes-

"I can't leave now guys… I gotta real job now isn't that what everybody wanted? Let me work." Bella said amused.

"I'll have her out of the office by nine how's that sound?" I said to her crowd of fans.

"Wonderful." Angela said as they all said their goodbyes and turned to leave. Jake leaned back and Bella looked at him curiously when he came up to me.

"So… pointers." Is all he said.

"Take her to Port Angeles it's her favorite restaurant. Don't be late… be yourself. She likes originality." I murmured the last part as I looked at Bella who just smiled back her arms crossed.

"Gotcha." Is all Jake said before he walked away.

"You hurt her and I'll kill you." I said to his retreating figure.

"You see that girl? She's gonna break my heart and I'm gonna let her." He said amused continuing his walk not turning around. When he was gone Bella just sat in her spin chair.

"He's a good guy." She said quietly with a smile. I just nodded and then my eyes met hers.

"I'm sure he is." Was all I said before I knocked her desk twice. "Get to work Dwyer you gotta be out here by nine." I said with a wink before I disappeared behind the door. Burying myself into my own work.

-The next day-

"Oh come on" Sneered Rosalie as she picked at her salad. "She'd take you back if you fucking did _something" _She said with an eye roll.

"Rosalie… I don't want her back."

"You're lying… Embry's pathetic… _he's like a dog_." She said with that superior tone she always had. We were having lunch, why? I didn't particularly know… we hated each other. Well that was exaggerating we didn't hate each other we just…. Couldn't stand each other? Which is why When my little sister insisted we eat together I knew she had an ulterior motive.

"Is there a reason why you called this lunch? Other than to talk about my ex -girlfriend and ex best friend." I said already over the whole situation.

"Obviously why would I waste my time eating with you if there wasn't" She answered looking at her nails. I crossed my arms.

"On with it." I said.

"Mom and dad want you to break them up." She said simply and easily. Like she was talking about a pie recipe or … the fucking weather.

"What?" I said with disbelief.

"You heard me." She said as she patted invisible crumbs with her napkin and folded it off to the side. "They want you to break them up because Mr. Denali and dad are working on the-

"Twilight account" I said with her putting my head in my hands. Rosalie just smiled as she ate.

"Exactly. Daddy thinks it'll be best if you and Tanya end up together. The best thing for the company. Mr. Denali thinks Embry is a joke, we all know Tanya still loves you and all you have to do is…. _Something. _And everybody's happy. You get the girl of your dreams and we can all put this horrible chapter behind us." She said.

"Rosalie I'm not going to break them up Embry loves her."

"So do you." She responded easily.

"Rosalie it's morally _wrong. _Plus she cheated on me remember?" I said as if she forgot.

"Who could forget… you sulked for a year." She said rolling her eyes. I let out a deep breath.

"Look" I started.

"No you look. You could pretend to be this great guy… or you could realize that you're a Cullen. We step on who we need to step on to get to where we need to go. Tanya's a whore I'll give her that. But she cheated on you the same reason every woman cheats. _She got bored. _Entertain her Edward." She said. I just put my sunglasses and looked away as I thought. I didn't want to give Rosalie the satisfaction of knowing she was telling me something that enticed me. But it did.

"I don't know." I said

"Figure something out. Fuck get engaged too if you have to. Use that girl that slapped me once. I like her she's got spunk."

"Renesme?" I said rolling my eyes. "No that won't work." And then I looked at Rosalie with a devious smile.

"I do know someone." I said looking at her she just smiled.

"Perfect." She said

-Night time-

"Okay how about this?" Renesme said putting on the sixth dress of the night.

"Too slutty." I said as I took a sip of my water.

"Ugh!" She said taking it off right in front of me exposing her perfect tits and going back into her closet. I leaned against the closet as I heard her rummaging inside of it.

"I had lunch with my sister today."

"I don't like your sister. Remember when I slapped her?" Renesme said still rummaging in the huge closet.

"Yah... she really appreciates that by the way." I said half amused. She laughed out loud still rummaging.

"So what'd she want?"

"Came to tell me that she wants me to break up Tanya and Embry." It went quiet as she stuck her head out of the closet.

"You're joking right? You're not actually considering it are you?"

"Contrary to popular belief I'm desperate but not that desperate." I said lying through my teeth. Renesme bought it shrugging as she went back into her closet.

"Good, because fuck Tanya." She said as she emerged in a blue strapless dress that was the dress any guy would want a girl to wear on the first date.

"Well?" She looked at me expectantly.

"Beautiful." I said softly as she turned around and I zipped it up without having to be told settling my drink down. She looked in the mirror and I stood behind her. She smiled as she turned to the side and tilted her head.

"You're really excited for this date huh?" I asked her softly. Nothing but happy for my best friend in the entire world. She smiled up at me.

"I feel like this one is different." She said as she looked at her already made up face.

"I feel like this one is different too." I admitted to her with a little smile. She just looked up at me with a bright smile.

-Midnight-

When I got home from Renesme's I opened up a water and threw my keys on the counter. Letting the answering machine play.

"Hey Edward it's mommy… Why weren't you at the country club today? Stop hiding away and embarrassing me-

_Click. _

"Hey Edward it's Jenny calling from-

_Click. _

"Hey Ed… It's me Embry. Tan told me she gave you the invitation … I really hope you come man. We really want you there." Said Embry's voice I just smirked at the answering machine as I made the final decision to get back at this guy by stealing my girl back.

"Oh I'll be there alright." Was all I said before I went up to my bedroom thinking of the fact that I would have what I always envisioned soon enough.

-Wednesday-

Angela- Bella's neighbour was funny. Bella had explained to me once that the two neighbours who had hated each other had become inseparable one day when Bella blackmailed her to use her clothes. Now Bella had accounted for everything Angela did. She made sure she went to school, did her homework and in her words.

_Made sure she didn't become a private school, prostitute dropout whore. _

_Her words… not mine. _

Angela came by often. Sometimes on lunch sometimes to pick up Bella after work and the two would go get dinner at whatever restaurant. Often times Angela was sleeping over Bella's place even though she technically had her own. I couldn't help but notice at the way how all they seemed to do was fight… but all they did was protect each other. It was true what Bella had written on that sticky note. She was basically Angela's surrogate mother. I opened the door to smile at them outside her office as they worked on something.

"It looks better here. Now if you move it again I'll punch you in the throat" Bella said to Angela as they worked on a presentation I put Bella in charge of for my Japanese clients. I looked at her, lately she had been wearing more feminine like outfits but still had her dark, sarcastic touch to them. For instance, today, she was in a pretty long sleeved black turtle neck dress that hugged that amazing ass body in all the right places. Her dark little touch? It was black, and she was wearing knee high boots with it that most people wouldn't deem business casual. She always rocked it though she always rocked everything she wore.

"Are you going to help or are you going to stare at Bella's ass all day." Angela challenged me. Instead of looking ashamed I spoke.

"Well I planned to just admire but since you've put me on the spot." I said as Bella's eyes met mine. I walked up beside them looking at a rather impressive presentation board. "It looks great." I murmured because it did. I had to admit although Bella wasn't the most polished worker I had… she definitely was one of the best. She knew what the fuck she was doing on a day to day basis. She could speak to different types of crazies that walked through this office and she could even speak to the departments in other countries. One day I passed by and heard her speaking French. When I raised my eyebrow at it on how she knew the language she just smiled softly.

_I went to a French school for two years. _

Was all she said, before she went back to her lingo. It was in the moment that I realized the girl was nothing but a mystery to me. If I hadn't been so hooked up on Tanya I'd want to get to know her… really know her. There were things about her that confused me… she was like a mystery. Sometimes she would say things and it would be followed by a hidden smile as if there was a double meaning behind her words. There was a secret in her eyes and I always wanted to know what it was.

"Okay Mr. Boss man can I go now?" Angela asked both Bella and I.

"No." I said. "You can go find Renesme and send out the photocopies." I instructed.

"Ugh come _on" _She whined looking at Bella who crossed her arms.

"No… you still took it upon yourself to enter school and leave the building. So now I need to know where you are. At all times. You either work here, a nice office or you work at Maria's take my old waitressing job and serve your snotty little friends." Bella said sternly.

"You know you're not my mother." Angela sneered.

"Thank God for that." Bella challenged as she looked at the board. "But I am gonna tell you what to do… and you're gonna listen to me. Because I love you… Now go do the photocopies." Bella said with a smirk challenging the teenager. She just rolled her eyes and stubbornly turned to go do what we instructed her. When she was out of site Bella snorted, out a little laugh as she went back to work. I leaned against the door frame.

"You know I think it's great what you're doing with her." I said being truthful. She just looked up at me as she smiled.

"Forcing her not to be a fuck up?... Yeah. Wish she could say the same thing. She hates me." Bella said amused.

"No… she admires you… she'll never admit it though." I said to her. Bella looked at the direction that Angela walked.

"I don't need her to admit it… I don't care if she never thanks me… I just want her to be okay." Is all she said. It was silent for a moment as she gazed at the board, and then she snapped out of her trance.

"I need sharpies." She said nicely with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Before she walked away from me and out of site. It was in that moment that I had forever screwed myself over. Because I knew… I was certain in my heart of hearts that I had wanted her. That I wanted her more than I wanted Tanya, and I lied to myself. I knew what I wanted and I still made the decision to use Bella… to get what I thought I should have. I'll never truly understand why I did that.

**OOOH The plot THICKENS. **

**We have Edward being a sleaze bag….Asshole, but hey makes for a good story. LOL tell me what you guys think send in your reviews. **


	5. Chapter 5

I Put Things in Motion

Edward

"I was thinking of inviting Bella to Greenwich… on business." I said absently as Renesme and I looked at sample covers for the first movie we were screening and Cullen Publishing. Renesme turned on her heel to look at me with a smug smile.

"To Esme's garden party?" She asked as she inched towards me. "That's hardly a good first date." She said with her arms crossed.

"Well I was thinking maybe taking her out… before that." I said with a suggestive tone. Renesme just looked at me smiling. Before she could say anything, Bella walked in her heels clicking as she typed on one cellphone with one hand while the other was to her ear.

"Yes, I'll have him call you immediately." She said then she put her phone to her chest. Blocking the speaker.

"It's Mr. Parker." She whispered. I shook my head with my eyes wide. I've been screening his call for weeks. He wanted in on my company I kept saying no… he kept calling.

"Uh huh… Yes, for sure as soon as Mr. Cullen gets out of his meeting. Alright… bye bye." She said then rolled her eyes as she went into my closet that I had built in here. She took the matching Armani suit jacket that went with my slacks and helped me into it. She went to my tie and Renesme clicked away on her phone as Bella spoke.

"Now remember… when dealing with Mr. Hilton do not under any circumstances talk profit cuts. Talk about expansion in online territories. Did you read the cue cards I gave you last night?" She asked as she fixed my tie.

"Yes… I liked that personal touch you added what was it? "The French are nudists?"." I said rolling my eyes as she tightened my tie and scoffed out a laugh. Renesme laughed too and all of us were interrupted when Jacob strolled in with a bouquet of roses.

"Wow is this an orgy. I see two fine girls and one guy." He exclaimed handing Renesme the bouquet. She just blushed and took it while Bella and I rolled our eyes and went back on our briefing.

"Not now Jake… we're working." Renesme said softly as she pushed him out the door he just smirked.

"See you tonight?"

"See you tonight." She affirmed before she shut the door in his face. Then she looked at us.

"I'm gonna marry that man." She said as she went into my chair crossing her legs. I took my files and rolled my eyes at her, as I left the office Bella called out to me.

"Edward?" She called after me.

"Yeah?"

"Don't choke." She instructed with a smirk before she disappeared behind my office door. I just laughed out loud.

-That Night-

"So what exactly is so good about these sloppy Joes?" I asked Bella as she cooked in my kitchen. I couldn't lie, it was kind of nice to see her move with ease. Tanya was never really a girl who cooked well. She loved to eat organic but she couldn't actually cook at all. It was bad food, but I had always thought she was endearing for trying. Bella though had a confidence as she swirled around the kitchen making sloppy joes. She insists it's the only thing she knows how to make but it looks like she knows her way around a kitchen. I had convinced her to come over to my place and teach me to make the famous sloppy joes everybody seemed to love from her.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you." She said as she swayed around the kitchen. I just smiled shaking my head as I took a swig of the beer she insisted I have.

"So how was the meeting?" She asked.

"We don't have to discuss work Bells." I said giving her a new nickname. That just made her raise her eyebrow as she wiped her hand on a towel.

"Oh no? What ? you want to talk about… things that _friends_ talk about?" She asked. I chuckled as I played with the beer bottle not looking at her in the eye. Playing shy… Maybe I wasn't playing maybe I actually was but I'd never admit that to Tanya or anyone else.

"Friends… Yah." I said coyly. "We could be friends." I breathed out looking at the beautiful dark haired girl standing in my kitchen. Trying not to go off course of what the actual task at hand is here.

"Mhmm" She said as she sat down across from me after handing me my plate of sloppy Joe's that I had to admit. Smelled fucking amazing. What did she put in this shit?

"So _friend." _She started as she ate delicately. "What's the deal with you and Renesme?" She asked me. I laughed as I ate.

"Met her, Her first year at NYU at a kegger. I was an upperclassman. Thought she was gorgeous took her out on a date… Realized that it just… wasn't right I guess. But we stayed friends… the both of us realized we're better as friends and that's really all there is to the story." I said being truthful with her for once in my life.

"So what about you and … Everybody else in your life?" I asked really wanting to know more about how she got those strange friends of hers. Although I had to admit Bella was like a magnet, people kind of just stuck to her and never let go. Even I could admit in that moment I was one of them.

_Which should have been a clear cut sign to stop what I was doing, but I didn't. I hate myself for it every. Single. Day. _

"Well I moved to New York on a whim was sleeping in my car and Alice found me… Gave me a job babysitting her kid. So that's how the munchkin and I became inseparable." She said as she took a swig of her beer.

"She found you sleeping in a car and let you watch her kid?" I said amused.

"Alice was always quirky… plus I think she could tell I wasn't a junky or anything." She said with a little shrug. Something in her eyes tells me there's more to the story, and I would wait until she was comfortable to tell me.

"And Jake?" I asked about the quirky restaurant manager who had all the money, and suave in the world.

"He's Jaspers' business partner. When I started waitressing at Maria's we went on a date… there was no connection… like none." She said with a laugh as she took a bite of her food. "We were honest about it and then… we went to smoke a joint on the top of Maria's patio." She admitted I laughed, shaking my head. Of course, they did.

"Renesme really likes him." I said, Bella nodded.

"Yeah Jacob really likes her too, dare I say I think he might even be in love." She challenged the former playboy.

"Wouldn't be surprised lots of men fall in love with that girl." I admitted to Bella easily. She just nodded approvingly. It was silent for a little as we ate, comfortable though. Again, something I never really experienced. If any moment was silent while we ate Tanya would assume that I was mad and that there was something I wasn't telling her. To her silence was bad, but in this moment the silence was comforting. We didn't have to have mindless conversation about anything… we could just be.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"You want to go on a date?... with me?" I asked she laughed a little bit.

"I don't know if that's a good idea Edward." She said softly.

"What do you got to lose? One date?" I prodded gently.

"My job for one." She said amused. I laughed out loud.

"I would never… do anything like that. Despite our first meeting I'm not the douchebag everyone thinks I am." I said laying on the charm thick.

_This had to work. She was my only hope for all the wrongs to be righted. _

She bit her lip, thinking of my offer. I took this time to get up and go up to her, crowding her with the art of persuasion. I used my index finger to lift her chin.

"I can treat you like a princess you know? If you gave me the chance." I murmured. She laughed softly. Before she took my hands in hers to pull it away from her face. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I don't care about being treated like a princess Edward." Was all she said, shocking me.

"Well what do you want… whatever you want I'll give it to you." I bargained. She paused.

"Anything?" She asked.

"Yah." I said.

"Don't _ever _think that what works on these other New York socialite princesses will work on me. Don't _ever _treat me as if I'm one of them." She said with her arms crossed. I bowed my head laughing. This girl was always capable of amazing me.

"Done… Can I have my dinner now?" I asked her softly She smiled triumphantly.

"Sure." Was all she said before she left me in the kitchen alone, amazed.

Friday

"So where are you going?" Renesme asked as she lazed on my bed. I came out in a Calvin Klein suit and she rolled her eyes. "It's a date… not a job?" She said rolling her eyes.

"I don't know I was thinking that nice place on fifth." I said.

"You mean where you used to take Tanya? Ew. Take her somewhere else." Renesme said as she came into the closet and just went in and got a jacket for me. He helped me step into it and then the both of us looked at myself standing in the mirror.

"Now that… is a guy I'd fuck." She said with a nod. I rolled my eyes.

"Lock up and do not forget to send Micromax to-

"Edward… go!" She said as she dragged me through my apartment buy my hand and all but pushed me into the elevator. I huffed and puffed all the way to the underground parking garage where I had about seven cars. Now I know I wanted to impress the girl, but I also realized that, doing it with my flashy lifestyle for some reason didn't impress her. I figured it was because she was maybe raised around people who just thought it was dumb or… something. I'd have to ask her. Regardless I decided on the Audi R8. That was inconspicuous enough right? I sped over to Bella's building, made it there in record time and when I noticed her standing by the entrance of her building already waiting for me, I choked on air.

_The woman was fucking beautiful. _

She was in a red strapless gown that was short, but not so short where you thought she was a slut. Her boobs looked absolutely perfect, her long chestnut brown hair was down in messy waves. The woman had the most amazing curves I'd ever seen in my life. She was wearing black fuck-me-pumps and I just couldn't even focus when she stepped in the car. She was throwing me off task… I wasn't supposed to be really be attracted to her what the fuck.

"Hey." She said smiling nicely as she put her little clutch in the little middle compartment.

"You look beautiful." I said softly as I zoomed off.

"Don't look too bad yourself." She said softly to me. We had mindless chit chat about our days, before she spoke again. "So where are we going?" She asked.

"This little restaurant on fifth called La Bella Italia." I answered. She just nodded slowly. "You been there?" I asked her warily.

"No… I've never been. I know it's a really fancy schmany place though." She teased. I laughed as we zoomed through traffic. When we pulled up I went to go open her door and kept my hand on the bottom of her back. Feeling possessive of all guys standing in line to get into the restaurant… staring at her. They weren't even trying to be coy… did these fuckers not see me right beside her!? I was livid. It only got worse as the night went on. When we got to the host who I've interacted with many times in the past.

"Edward hey… uh." He said looking at Bella up and down. I narrowed my eyes at him. I snapped my fingers in front of his face angrily.

"Focus." I said firmly.

"Right uh… booth, got you." He said as he took us into the fancy restaurant and made small talk with Bella, despite my glare.

_I was going to fucking complain. I swear to God. _

When we were seated Bella just looked at me with her head tilted, then she burst into laughter.

"You can relax you know… guys look it's what they do." She said as she took a sip of water that was already there for us.

"Nobody has manners anymore." I spat. She just giggled a little bit. I found it endearing. She placed her elbows on the table and used her hands to prop her face up.

"Can we have our date now?" She asked softly. And I smiled back before I nodded.

-45 minutes in-

"No way?" She said as we laughed.

"Really it was so embarrassing her hair got stuck in my zipper so …. We had to call my sister to get it out… blackmailed me for like 5 months before I told her to fuck off." I said as I sipped wine. Telling Bella about the time my high school crush and I thought we could do the dirty while Esme and Carlisle were out, only for her hair to get stuck in my zipper and chaos to ensue. She just choked out a laugh shaking her head.

"What about you? You have any brothers or sisters?" I asked.

"No I just had cousins, we used to get into all sorts of trouble." She said with a little laugh of her own. I knew from the first meeting with Bella that her family was dead. I had felt bad when I pushed it and asked when she came in to her first day at work and I made sarcastic comments about her not having parents. She handled it well though, being sarcastic right back.

"Really?"

"Yeah I remember one time my cousin convinced us that he could drive. Our parents had yelled at us for filling the laundry room with soap. So, we decide that we're going to run away. My cousin piled us all in our dads' car and he zooms it right into the garage door…. He was 10." She explained I laughed at her shaking her head. Our laughing quieted down and I don't actually know what came over me as I stared in her eyes but. It was something. I placed my hand over hers and she just smiled softly at me, looking at me under her eyelashes. Just like that though, the moment was broken.

"Edward?" Said someone taking both Bella and I out of our trance. In that moment I should've felt happy, my plan was working. Tanya was standing there looking shocked at our adjoining hands. I didn't feel happy though… I felt annoyed.

"Tanya? Hey. How are you?" I asked her as I got up swiftly to give her a kind hug. I sat back down. Bella just waved at her softly.

"Hey" She said nicely.

"Wait we've met you're?... The secretary?" She said more confused as she looked at Bella up and down in her expensive getup.

"Yup that's me." Bella said nicely, but you could tell there was a snarky undertone at the fact that Tanya called her "The secretary". Tanya placed her hand over her heart delicately.

"Well if I must say you look gorgeous." Tanya complimented. Bella smiled.

"Thanks." She said a little dryly. I looked up at Tanya and smiled sheepishly knowing there was no effort to hide the snarky tone she had, but also knowing that she was kind of right to have it… technically Tanya was in a way insulting her to her face with a smile.

"Well what brings you here Tanya?" She laughed.

"Well this is the place to be… Most romantic place in the city it is where you took me on all our dates." She said. I didn't even look at Bella. I just saw her reach for her wine.

"Yeah, I guess this is the place I bring you if I want you impressed." I deflected smoothly. Which I saw made Bella smile in the corner of my eyes. I looked at her fully and she just blushed a little bit but looked away.

"Tanya! Table is ready." Said the voice I recognized as her sister.

"Well I should go." She said inching off although nobody was really paying attention to her.

"Bye." Bella said softly not even looking at her.

"See you." I said turning my attention to her briefly before focusing it all back on Bella. Not even really realizing on if she walked away or not, because truly. It didn't matter.

-Later-

"Oh come on don't be lame." Bella said laughing as she splashed her feet in the fountain of the park. I was laughing as I held her shoes.

"Bella, security is gonna come here and kick us out." I warned her amused.

"Who cares Edward." She sang as she danced around the fountain her feet soaking wet holding her milkshake. I couldn't help but smile at her, this girl was fucking nuts. Tanya would never even think to do something like this. No wonder kids seemed to stick to her, she was so youthful. It all made sense to me, how Angela though insulting her every second and complaining but listened to everything she said, and how Maria pouted and whined but never really disobeyed her. Because Bella wasn't like other adults, she saw past the bullshit and told you the truth, and maybe that's why she was able to have fun anywhere she went. Because she didn't have to be anybody but who she wanted to be, which made her someone everyone wants to be around. I laughed as I grabbed her out of the fountain and carried her, she squealed laughing as I walked with her.

"You are the strangest girl I have ever dated." I said, she just laughed in response as I carried her to the car and expertly managed to slip her into the car. Conversation was light as I drove her back home, both of us kind of just high on the laughter we just had. When I pulled up in front of her building to see Angela hanging in the front with a girl about her age. She looked at us and smirked before reverting attention back to her friend.

"Eh where are you going?" Bella asked as I reached for my seatbelt.

"What kind of guy would I be if I didn't walk you to your door?"

"One that won't get me teased by Angela. Trust me she sees you at that door I won't hear the end of it." She said. I pouted and then she laughed leaning in to give me a soft tentative kiss.

"I'll see you Monday" She said.

"And I'll call you tomorrow." I whispered. She just smiled giving me one more peck before she left. Angela waved goodbye to her friend and quickly followed Bella in talking a mile a minute, while Bella just rolled her eyes and smiled. I smiled too as I drove away.


	6. Chapter 6

In Too Deep

Edward

"Again… what exactly is it that you're here for?" I asked my sister sitting in my study at home. Rosalie stood there her blonde hair perfectly waved with a headband on. Her Birkin bag had it's own seat in the chair across from mine as she stood in front of me.

"Tanya called me the other night, made it seem like she was calling to have idle conversation. Then she brought up the fact that she saw you with a date." She said smirking. I sighed.

"Yeah well." I muttered. Knowing that she was happy that I was going through with the plan, but part of me was ashamed that I was taking this route to get what I wanted. Is this even what I wanted?

"Oh don't get that look on your face."

"A look?" I said lazily as I tugged on my hair. _I needed a haircut. _

"Yeah that look… that you're doing something wrong…You're not. You're doing what's best for you. This girl is just… a nobody." Rosalie said as she picked up her Birkin and threw it over her shoulder. She rubbed her lips together as to smooth out her lip gloss.

"Tanya's gonna be at the garden party with that dog fiancé of hers so… keep up your little love movie and make sure she's there to see all the scenes." Was all she said before Renesme walked in with her music blasting in her ears in workout attire. Rosalie took that time to make her way out. They briefly bumped each other's shoulders and gave each other dirty looks but nothing really happened after that. When Rosalie was gone Renesme sat down in the chair across me.

"To what do I owe this summoning?" She said picking up some documents on my desk and easily minding my business.

"I need your permission on something." I said pouring her some scotch. Renesme looked at me suspiciously but said nothing. She just raised her eyebrow in response.

"Can I take Bella to the Paris conference?" I asked she laughed out loud. The Paris conference was a week long and it was filled with potential to rub shoulders. Renesme and I went every year she loved the Paris conference, which is why I was extremely nervous to ask her for this favor. I needed to listen to Rosalie though, I needed to wow Bella to shock Tanya.

"Well I've only been a hundred times so…. I wouldn't mind. You really like this girl don't you?" She asked amused.

"Yeah." I answered like a man in love hating myself for it. "I really do." I said.

OOOoo

"If you eat animal crackers are you still a vegetarian?" Maria asked cutely up at me from my big office chair that she was sitting in while Bella and I did work. Renesme had left the room not too long ago.

"No I don't think so." I answered used to her random questions. Bella rolled her eyes at me but didn't look up, as she was used to the stupid responses that I usually gave. Alice was running late at an event and Jasper got caught up with work so Maria was in Bella's care. As she usually was when Alice and Jasper ran into such issues. If it wasn't Bella it was Jacob and if it wasn't Jacob newly now it was Angela. The little girl had a team of less than valid nannies, not that it mattered to her, she loved us all.

"Interesting." She answered as she shoved some in her mouth. Just then Jasper walked in his keys dangling, wearing a leather jacket looking kind of tired.

"Daddy!" Maria yelled running into his arms. Though he was tired his eyes lit up when the little girl propelled herself into his arms. He kissed her forehead and stooped down to her level to hear her talk a million words a minute about nothing really. He listened attentively and quietly holding her close. There were a lot of.

"Really's"

And some

"Oh I see's"

As they engaged in their conversation.

"Alright well I'm glad you had fun, lets get you home huh?" He said softly picking up the little girl. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

"Say goodnight to Bella and Edward." Jasper prompted softly.

"Bye Eddie bye Bellsey" She said tiredly.

"Bye munchkin." Bella said going over to her and kissing her forehead. I waved softly with one hand while the other was in my pocket. Jasper waved at us tiredly saying thank you before he took her and left and when they were gone Bella went back to working. She picked up the IPad and started looking at documents, while I still stood there.

"Do you plan on working or are you just gonna stare at the wall all day." Bella said shoving me a little.

"Does Maria make you want kids… because you spend so much time with her?" I asked conversationally as I sat in my chair and leaned back into it.

"Sometimes yeah she does." She said not looking at me as she scrolled with her fingers.

"But you don't want any?" I asked her.

"No." She answered calmly.

"But you're so good with them… I mean look at Angela and Maria and-

"I can't be anybody's mother." She said calmly placing the IPad on the chair and going over to my computer to fidget and do some more work.

"You definitely have the capabilities-

"_Edward. Jesus" _She said interrupting my third degree. I put my hands up in surrender. She just looked amused as she filed through my computer, then she looked up at me.

"Don't give me a plan okay?" she said seriously. I knew exactly what she meant.

"Bell I didn't mean-

"I know you didn't mean anything bad by it… but I'm not Tanya and I never will be any of these society princesses that's going to sit down here and make a perfect plan with you. If that's what you need I understand…. But it is not me and it never will be okay?" She said softly. I just got up from my spot and went over to her. I pushed a strand of her brown hair behind her ears and I took her in my arms. She fit perfectly in them.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. I kissed her forehead and she looked up at me. "I haven't been in a relationship where two people just… let things happen." I admitted. She just nodded softly.

"Okay" she whispered. Wrapping her arms around me. I leaned in and kissed her and she kissed me back. It started off slow and sweet and then it deepened and next thing I knew I had her on my desk. I stood inbetween her legs and I was kissing down her neck.

Realistically this wasn't part of any plan to get Tanya back…. But she was so…. Irresistible.

"Wait we can't do this here." I said trying be reasonable.

"Mhm." She mumbled ignoring my half assed reasoning. Just then Renesme walked in, she burst out laughing at the site of us. Bella pushed me away from her a little bit.

"Really? You couldn't wait till you got home… Jesus you guys are like teenagers." She muttered before she rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her.

OOOOo

Bella and I were "seeing each other" that was the term Angela gave me when she asked if we were boyfriend and girlfriend and I said I had no idea. We went out on dates, I watched movies at her place she watched movies at mine. We had many run-ins with Tanya in the city some planned some not so much. I realised that as the Paris conference got closer that what had happened was I had started to… like Bella… really like her. For me… not to make Tanya jealous and because of that… to make it up to her (even though she had no idea what was going on but I felt I had to apologise for treating her like such trash some way) I needed to make this trip perfect. The only way I could do that was to officially, publicly declare her.

"What is this?" Maria as she held up an expensive paperweight. Maria was one of the many things that came with Bella.

_Her friends. _

For my whole life… it was always just Edward and Embry… then Edward and Embry and Renesme not too long after. But Bella brought Angela, Maria, Alice, Jasper and Jacob. Our groups had kind of meshed and with that meshing of groups came the meshing of responsibility…. The groups infant.

_Maria. _

"That is something that would cause you to work your entire life to pay off. Now let's put it down." I said nicely and patiently as I took it from her. I placed it on the desk. She had become very well known in the building. She spent most of her time with Angela when she worked here part time or if Angela wasn't here she was in my big chair, watching cartoons on Netflix. At first I would worry endlessly about where she'd run off too, so I soon had one security guard on her at all times and she was free to roam the building on her daily adventures. Sometimes she'd run off to visit the secretaries downstairs

"I'm bored." She said cutely as she wiggled side to side.

"How about this you go find Renesme and Bella in the conference room give them these papers and then after I'll take you for candy ?" I said to her using her favorite thing to get her to calm down.

"Okay!" She said. Excitedly just then one of my workers, came into the office with a smile on her face.

"Mr. Cullen your sister Is here to see you now." She said just then Rosalie walked in and when she saw Maria she hid her horns, because everybody could love that kid.

"Hi what's your name!" Maria said running up to Rosalie with the papers I gave her. Rosalie smiled and went down to her level.

"Rosalie Cullen I'm Edward's sister what's yours?"

"Maria Whitlock… I'm in kindergarten but I don't like it." She said as she took one of Rosalie's blonde tresses. I raised my eyebrow at the fact that the ice queen looked, amused?

"You look like the princess Rapunzel with the long blonde hair." She said as she played with Rosalie's hair.

"Really? That's a compliment thank you." Rosalie said just then Renesme walked in without Bella. I gave her a look gesturing my sister and she already knew what I meant.

"Come on kid lets go, Edward's gotta work." Renesme said picking her up.

"Okay… Bye pretty princess." She said waving goodbye to Rosalie. Rosalie just smiled and when they were gone and the door closed she looked at me with a smile.

"Cute kid where'd you get her?"

"She's a friend of Bella's." I said as she placed that bag in it's own chair and sat across from me. Folding her arms and looking at me

"Okay what did you want."

"This is done…. This little game with Bella…. It has to be done." I said truthfully. She let out a laugh.

"Excuse me?... You fell for the punk… what are you kidding me Edward." She snarkily said.

"Rosalie this is wrong and I'll admit I was desperate when you proposed the bullshit plan but she's a person and this is horrible and I cant be a part of it."

She said nothing for a few moments but then she did.

"Mom and dad will never accept her."

"Unlike you I don't live for them or their approval so it really doesn't matter does it?" I said ending the conversation as she stood up. She just smirked.

"You won't be able to hide her from the rest of our world for long and it'll all crumble down around you because she is a farce."

"Rosalie, Shut. Up for heaven's sake." I said leaning in my chair.

"How do you plan on hiding her from mom and dad?"

"I'm not hiding her, I'm not ashamed of her." I said she scoffed before she got up and looked at me up and down.

"You're making a big mistake." Was all she said before she took her bag and left the office. I opened the door and looked at Bella who was sitting at her desk now, unaware so many people were discussing her.

"Hey." I said walking up to her and turning her chair to face me, not caring about how our coworkers would see us like I usually did.

"Hey." She said sweetly as she gave me a chaste kiss on my lips. "What's up?" She asked softly.

"Come away with me this weekend?" I asked her softly. She laughed.

"Uh. No." She said sternly with a little laugh. "I don't want Angela out of my site… for a little bit longer." She said with a little half smile looking sorry. I wasn't mad at all though, if anything I found it more endearing, that she put so much of herself into this teenager that she owed nothing to.

"I can… watch her." Renesme said popping out of nowhere. The both of us looked at her.

"Uh really? I don't think so Renesme, Angela is a handful she can talk her way out of anything you have to be really harsh with her or she'll slip through your hands" Bella instructed. Renesme scoffed.

"Hey, I help run one of the best book publishing companies in the world… trust me I can handle a teenager." Renesme said Bella looked at me and I raised my eyebrow. She put her forehead to mine.

"Fine." She said with a little smile. "Where are we going?" She asked me softly.

"Just a little stay-cation." I said with a smile. Not letting her in on where we were going.

OOOOoo

I showed up to the front of Bella's building in my BMW convertible. She had yet to see this car, but I really wanted to impress her. There were no games, no lies… I was moving on and I felt great about it. I looked up from my cell phone to alert Bella I was here only to see Angela at my car with a louis Vuitton duffel looking less then pleased.

"Hey… what's up." I asked her enthusiastically.

"I have to spend my weekend with Renesme…. She's insane." She said dully. I laughed.

"I would take you but-

"You know a month ago I was alone all the time and NOW…. I can't go anywhere without a babysitter." She complained

"She wants what's best for you." I said amused. She looked over her shoulder and squinted at the sun hitting her eyes. She lowered herself so that the sun was out of her eye and she can show me how serious her face was.

"I complain a lot but I love her… so if you're just playing games dump her because she's the only person in my life who cares about me and I don't want you to fuck up the only real parent I've ever had." She said so bluntly and truthfully I just blinked in shock for a few seconds before I responded.

"I care about her a lot." I said she didn't say anything as Bella approached the car holding a duffel bag. She threw it in the backseat of my car and looked at Angela.

"Do you have your glasses?" She asked her.

"Yah." The teenager answered dully.

"Homework?"

"Yah"

"Even the math?"

"_Yes." _

"Good!" Bella said kissing the socialite on her forehead. "Be good!" Bella yelled enthusiastically as she hoped into my car. Bella waved enthusiastically as Angela looked over at us dully, I honked twice before I sped off and soon it was just the two of us.

"So where exactly are we going?" She asked me.

"The Hamptons. I have a place up there and the construction is finally done. You can lay out, enjoy the pool and relax." I said enticing her.

"Ooh I like that." She said leaning over to kiss me. Just then her phone rang and she pulled apart from me to pick it up, it was a work call. A work call that lasted twenty minutes, for some reason I was amused by the entire thing. She looked at me curiously.

"I'm sorry it's just funny seeing me be relaxed and you work." I admitted. She rolled her eyes.

"One of us needs to keep their head in the game." She answered as she rested her head against the seat and I made it onto the highway and sped off. I just shook my head as we listened to some of Bella's favorites the whole ride, when we got to my estate about two hours later after a few stops to eat and to use the washroom… small bladder that girl had. You learn something new everyday about the person you're with it seems. When we pulled up to my estate, I watched her eyes narrow at the huge gate opening slowly to reveal the expansive property.

"What?" I asked her as I slowly moved the car up the extensive drive way and pushed the button for the gate to close behind me.

"Isn't cottage getaway supposed to be small and quaint?" She asked turning her nose up at the huge place.

"No." I said smartly as I parked the car and opened the door for her to get out. I took her bag from her and put my key in the door and when I pushed it open I watched her roam. She smiled appreciatively at my childhood photos and little trinkets from my past.

"I like it… it's homey." She observed softly. I nodded. Happy that I could share a special part of my life with her.

-6 P.M-

Bella was getting acquainted with my pool, swimming laps around it while I barbecued us burgers. It was nice to watch her.

"Sure you don't need help?" She asked from her spot by the edge of the pool in the water.

"You just keep doing your thing little mermaid." I said as she shrugged and started doing the back stroke in the pool. The doorbell rang and she looked at me.

"Want me to get it?" She asked as she swam.

"No I got it!" I said as I closed the barbeque and ran to the front of the house to get the door. When I swung it open I was tackled in a bear hug and laughed once I realized it was peter, a buddy of mine from college.

"What's up ass face haven't seen you in a while. I saw your car pull up earlier I knew you were in town. Why wouldn't you tell me!" He said as Charlette rolled her eyes at her husbands' antics.

"I told you he probably didn't tell you because he didn't come here to get drunk. Probably came here to relax." She said pulling him back kind of like a child. He scoffed, I laughed.

"I'm just in town for the weekend a little R-N-R" I said but Peter wasn't listening as his eyes was on the pool in the back.

"Whose that?" He asked as Bella swam back and forth unaware that she was now a topic of conversation.

"Oh… a friend of mine." I said nicely, he raised his eyebrow and put his hands up in surrender.

"Edward?" Said Bella's voice in the distance.

"I'm coming" I yelled back towards the pool. "Look I'll uh call you? Later?" I said to my friends. They both nodded, trying to sneak a peak but otherwise, left. I turned back to go to Bella. She was at the edge of the pool, wringing her hair out.

"Who was that?"

"Nobody just some old friends." I said nonchalantly. It wasn't that I didn't want her to know about them. I just wanted her to myself for a while. This was new and my world was hectic, and Bella was…. Different. I felt like we should build a strong foundation before I fed her to the sharks in my life. That and well… people in my life weren't the most accepting and as bad as this may have sounded I needed a way to brand Bella so that I didn't have to hear any shit.

"Oh okay." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. She leaned in and gave me a little kiss and I kissed her back, happy that there was no one here to potentially ruin this.


	7. Chapter 7

It's All for you

It was a few days after Edward and I's little getaway and quite frankly… it was odd. There were a lot of things that weekend that left me with more question then answers. For one, I stupidly tried to have sex with him and he…. Wasn't into it. I mean he played it off like he was tired but it was quite obvious that he was not. It was too embarrassing for me to bring up so I did what I do best, I ran away from it.

_All my girls at the party _

_Look at this body shakin that thing like I never did see _

_Got a nice package alright _

_Guess I'm gonna have to ride it tonight _

Janet Jackson's "its all for you" blasted from my stereo and made my apartment vibrate as Angela danced around the living room in a sports bra and joggers. She had a tub of Ben Jerry's in her hand and was eating it from the container with a spoon. I just shook my head and drowned her out, this was usually how our Saturday mornings went if we weren't at the office. I was sitting at my desk – a cheap one I got from Wal Mart- after I realised, I'd be working from home as long as I worked for Edward.

"Don't you have homework or something!?" I yelled over the loud music.

"Can't hear you!" She shouted back pretending not to hear me as she danced around the living room and ate her ice cream. I rolled my eyes but said nothing. She was getting better, she was laughing more, staying in school, she was doing her homework. She had stopped crying at nights. I was proud of her but I'd never tell her that. I'd just make sure she knew it in different ways. There was a knocking on the door, and I passed by a dancing Angela and went to get it. When I opened it, I saw a woman I'd never seen before. She screamed old money, she had caramel hair, emerald green eyes and a Tiffany necklace I know cost upwards of like ten thousand dollars. She was clutching a Birkin bag to her chest once she heard the noise of Angela's music. She saw me in sweatpants, hair in a bun being held up by a pencil and a white tank top and tilted her head at me questioningly. She didn't hide her distaste.

"Hi!" I said waving confused over the music. Angela who heard the greeting turned off the music and came over to the door to see who it was. The woman, who I still didn't know looked at her up and down. Her eyes narrowing at the ice cream tub.

"Isn't it a tad early for that?" She said to Angela speaking for the first time.

"Esme. Hi." Angela said shoving the tub in my hands and inching behind me like she needed protection.

"You know each other?" I asked.

"Uh yeah she's in charge of cotillion and she goes to the country club with my mom." Angela answered. Esme smiled.

_Oh right, Angela had parents… always forgot that part. _

"Oh well… what brings you here." I said trying to be pleasant to the woman I know was a bitch based on her demeanor.

"I'm actually here for you Bella." She said, walking into my apartment and looking around trying to hide her distaste. Angela and I looked at each other confused.

"Me?"

"Her?"

We both said at the same time. I had no idea who the hell this woman was, she must be confused.

"Yes," She said with a bright smile. "I came to invite you the anniversary party for Carlisle and I." She said as if I knew who the fuck that was.

"Your husband?" Angela said confused, she looked just as confused as I was as to why this lady who I'd never heard of or met would want anything to do with me.

"Yeah, when Rosalie told me our little Edward had a new girlfriend I had never heard of… I thought he was being modest again. You are the first person he's dated since Tanya so maybe I got a little eager waiting for him to tell me about you himself… so… here I am." She said with a smile that didn't seem genuine at all.

"Oh my God… Cullen" Angela said something just clicking in her head.

"Yeah Edward's last name?" I answered looking at her like she's an idiot.

"No… Cullen. Edward Cullen… Edward is a Cullen I had no idea." Angela said suddenly getting nervous she gulped down. Looking at me nervously, looking at me up and down before she slyly took the ice cream tub she put In my hands… out of it.

"You're Edwards mother?" I said finally getting it. Esme nodded with a smile.

"Yes… That's me my husband and I are looking forward to seeing you at the anniversary party we really hope you can make it with Edward… it's being held at the Volturi Mansion I don't know if you've ever heard of it not many people have but… it's absolutely beautiful. Black tie you don't need an invite as you'll be coming with Edward…. Plus, you're basically family." She said smiling as she pulled me into a rigid hug that I didn't respond to. Angela gave me a look behind Esme's back and when she did I reciprocated the awkward hug by gently patting her back awkwardly.

"Well thanks…Esme." I said quietly. She pulled apart and smiled as she nodded. She looked over at Angela. "And I assume you'll be coming to Cotillion also to support Angela here." She said I nodded. That was an event I was aware of, Angela's parents were making her do Cotillion as it was something they claimed she had to do and was a right of passage. So was graduating high school but they never seemed to check on how that was going for her…. But that was a different topic for a different day.

"Yes, yes of course." I said.

"Well that's great I'm sure Edward told you he's going to be there as well… our family has hosted it with the Waldorf Hotel for years so he and his sister are taking over this year as donors… it's all very exciting." She said.

"I bet." I answered.

"Mhm did you have a cotillion Bella?" Esme asked.

"Uh… no we didn't really have that…. Where I'm from." I said awkwardly.

"And where is that?... Exactly."

"…. Nevada."

"Oh." She answered not looking too pleased with that information. "You grew up there?" She asked. I nodded.

"Mhm…. My mom was a show girl till I was a teenager…. So." I said answering my voice drifting off when her eyes widened at that tidbit of information.

"That's interesting." She answered before she slung her purse over her shoulder. "Well I hope to see you at the party Bella… it would be nice if everyone could get to meet you." Was all she said before she left the house, I closed the door behind her and gave Angela a weird look.

"What the hell was that about." I said grabbing the ice cream back and walking to the kitchen.

"Oh you're in deep… I have no idea how I never put it together from before…. Edward is a Cullen." Angela said.

"Yes Angela you've said it like a million times the past twenty minutes." I said rolling my eyes and taking a scoop of ice cream before I mindlessly looked at the open magazine on the counter.

"No I mean… Edward isn't just regular rich… Is part of one of the most exclusive, prestigious families in the whole damn city…. He never spoke to you about that?" She asked oddly.

"About what, what needed to be said?"

"Oh I don't know hey, I'm apart of one the most powerful families in New York."

"Well I don't think he cares about that he's too busy running a fucking empire to care about… his parents statues." I said roughly flipping through the magazine.

"Well are you gonna go to the party?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because Edward did not invite to this party so I will not be attending." I answered like it was obvious.

"Does it bother you that he never mentioned the party… or anything else that Esme said."

"No." I answered flipping through the magazine. Angela narrowed her eyes at me.

"It would bother me if my boyfriend-

"He's not my boyfriend. Okay he's a guy I like who likes me and we're casually dating… we have yet to define anything on either side so he doesn't owe me anything." I said truthfully. "When Edward is ready to talk to me about his amazing family dynasty and invite me to parties, and whatever else… he will do it on his own time."

"It doesn't bother you that he never once mentioned anything about introducing you to his friends or his family."

"No."

"Have you ever met any of Edward's friends… that wasn't Ness?" She asked. I thought about it for a second.

"No." I answered a little quietly. Thinking about how I knew his friends came to the door on our little getaway but I heard him rushing them off.

"That seems a little shady… why is he hiding you?"

"Look what Edward and I have is new and undefined… and that lady did not invite me over with pure intentions at heart… so I don't trust her… I do trust Edward though so whatever the reason he has for keeping us private is fine… maybe it's to protect whatever this is…. Maybe… it's not regardless I'm not going to push anything to find out." I answered shoving ice cream in my mouth.

"Why?" She answered

"Things always fall into place… when they need too so whatever happens between Edward and I will… when it needs to. If it needs to." I answered simply. She looked at me warily but then didn't push the issue further.

"Fine." Was all she said before she took the ice cream back, raised the music again and went back to her dancing around the living room. My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I saw that it was an incoming call from Edward. I just took the phone and put it on silent before I flipped it over, let it ring, and went back to reading the magazine.

The next week at work was hectic and I was so grateful to dive myself into my work. Edward was out of town for three days so it was just Renesme and I at the office but he got back yesterday. We hadn't had time to really talk as we've both been working but I knew we would soon. It was a little quiet between us lately, and I was sure it was mostly my doing. I just finished a meeting with a future client on Edward's behalf basically doing his job as he had to handle a personal visit today. I finished up in the conference room and grabbed the I pad before I made my way over to my desk. I was a little taken aback though because when I got there Edward was leaning against it talking to girl who I didn't recognize. She was pale with black hair and looked incredibly beautiful with freckles and blue eyes. They both were laughing at something she must've said as Edward had thrown his head back in laughter. I came into view and Edward smiled at me.

"Bella, hey. How was the meeting?" He asked straightening up.

"It was great I sent all the brief notes to your email." I said softly my voice drifting off as I looked at the pretty short girl. Edward nodded his head once.

"Well that's great… Irina this is Bella my new secretary. Bella, Irene and I have been friends since I was like ten she's my girlfriend we went to high school together." He said. I nodded.

_My new secretary? _

God that fucking bugged me, _God I wish I knew why_.

"That's so nice." I said with a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"Yeah I was out of town in London for the longest time… and I came back for the anniversary party and your mom told me that the expansion you've done is nothing like this world she insisted I came by to see it and I have to say what you've done is amazing Edward." She praised him. He smiled at her praise.

"Thanks I uh had help." He said. Just then Renesme rounded the corner on her phone looking serious as always typing away. Irina smiled when she saw her.

"Renesme long time no see." She said pulling her into one of those soft rich people hugs.

"Yeah it's been forever how was fashion week?" Renesme asked.

"It was great! The line is just taking off you know." She said she touched Edward's shoulder. "Gone are the days that we used to just run around this city huh?" She said to Edward. My eyes lingered on her hand on Edward's but then it brought it back up. Edward smiled at her, genuine amusement and happiness in his eyes.

"I know right? We were pretty fucking crazy." He said and they both laughed a little as they looked at each other. My chest felt tight, and I needed to get the fuck away from these two. I quickly looked for an escape and I picked up a binder on my desk.

"Oh shit I gotta photocopy these." I said reaching in between these two to grab the binder. I held it against me and looked at the three of them.

"It was nice to meet you Irina. I should get back to work though." I said. She smiled at me and I excused myself not even bringing my eyes to Edward. When I was out of sight Irina spoke.

"Are all your workers that colourful? She can't be good for business." She joked. I just heard Edward chuckle.

"Bella's different, she gets her job done don't worry." He responded and after his response I continued to walk to the photocopy room. I closed the door behind me in the little room and rested my back to the door. I took a shaky deep breath and shockingly reached up to my face to see that a few tears had fallen. I looked at the wet substance on my manicured fingers confused as I sniffled… trying to remember the last time I had ever actually. _Cried. _

At the sight of it, even if it was one miniscule little tear that managed to escape my body caused me to stand up, wipe my face for any trace of it and then leave the photocopy room, and the entire building quickly, before anyone could even see me do it. Like always.

Later that night I sat in my bathtub in a scalding hot bubble bath, staring at the ceiling. Trying to understand my feelings, trying to figure out exactly how I felt and how quickly I could not feel it. But nothing was really working out for me. I let out a breath as my phone rang and I picked it up. It was a text from Angela and it was photos of Edward and Irena out at some restaurant on a patio.

_DEFINE THE RELATIONSHIP ASAP! WHO IS THAT GIRL!? _

Said the text.

"Oh God." I said quietly. The fact that Angela took it upon herself to follow Edward was ridiculous in itself. She was crazy that one. I quickly shot her a text telling her to stop it, and then I actually took the time to look at the photos she took. Edward looked…. Happy with her. I don't even think I had ever seen him laugh that much ever. In all these photos it was like the darkness that always seemed to follow him was lifted. It was then that I realized what I felt.

_It was jealousy. _

I was jealous and sad… I was falling in love with Edward Cullen. If I didn't love him already, and I knew that it would never work because we were from two completely different worlds, and because I didn't want to be a part of his. I had seen his world, the people in it, the way people are in these circles and just a glimpse of Esme Cullen made me realize she'd do whatever it took to make sure he realized that. And once I realized that fact, I did what I did best. I got out of the tub went to my room and started to pack a suitcase. I reached into my bedside drawer and picked out my passport, after getting ready in a sweatshirt and jeans. I called an uber and made my way to the airport in the dead of the night.

"_At the tone please record your message, when you have finished your recording you may hang up or press POUND for more options" _

_*BEEP* _

"_Hey Alice, it's me Bella look I'm at the airport and I'm leaving town for a while and I'm not entirely sure when I'll be back. Just take care of Angela while I'm gone okay? Make sure she goes to school and does her homework. I'll call you when I can and don't worry, I'll be cool okay? Kiss the munchkin for me. Love you, bye." _

If I still had my car I would've driven as it was only a four-hour drive from New York, the drive would've been good to clear my head but unfortunately I didn't have my car anymore. When I landed at New Hampshire's Lebanon airport I was happy because it was dead. Probably because my flight was so last minute. I took the last flight out from New York that night. I was lucky to have even made it. I got in my uber and the ride was a quiet 45 minute one. When he dropped me off in front of the modern looking mini mansion. I just stood in front of it, listening to the crickets go off in the night. I carried myself to the front door, It was so quiet in the night that I heard each footstep I took over the fancy pebbles. When I was in front of the door I hesitated before I finally built up the courage to knock. It was quiet for a few seconds and then the door swung open to reveal her.

"Isabella?"

"Hey." I said timidly.

"Oh my God… what are you doing here?... here come inside." She said softly ushering me into the cozy house.

"Sorry for the last-minute shit." I said dropping my duffel on the floor. Rebecca just laughed softly. She was in a grey Dartmouth sweater, black sweats her pitch-black hair was up in a bun held by a pencil and she had on louis Vuitton house slippers. She also had her reading glasses on. We went to high school together, Rebecca and I. We were pretty good friends back home, we lost touch for a little bit when she came to Dartmouth on a full ride (Not that she needed it). And I went to Stanford and then dropped out. We walked into her living room, that was the coziest thing ever and screamed Rebecca. She had two big black couches a nice rug, her fireplace was burning and she had a set up in front of it with wine and a book- typical her. I took my bag and placed it neatly by the side of the couch.

"Here, I'll go get you a glass of wine and then you can tell me why the hell you look so sad." She said with a little smile before she walked off into her kitchen and I walked over to the fireplace. I took the photo off the mantle and looked at it. A photo of her, me and another friend back home in front of our old high school. I looked at me smiling in the middle not even recognizing the girl staring back at me.

"Senior year." Said Rebecca coming from behind me. I put the photo back where I saw it and followed her and sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace.

"That was a crazy year." I said she nodded in agreement as she poured me some wine from the bottle she had beside her. She handed me my glass and I sipped it. Her hazel eyes looked at me inquisitively.

"Okay." She said softly. "Now tell me what's going on huh? You don't visit unless-

"I know." I said quietly cutting her off. "And I'm sorry." I said apologizing.

"It's okay." She said softly, truthfully. I knew that it was.

"Everyone does what they need to do to keep moving…. Yours is run." She said softly as she sipped her wine. The six or seven Cartier bracelets she had on her wrist clanked as she did.

"I have no idea what the fuck I'm even doing." I admitted out loud for the first time. She didn't say anything, she just waited for me to continue.

"I met someone in New York." I started off with.

"Okay."

"And…. I don't even know…. I don't even- Rebecca I shed a tear the other day and I panicked because it was the second time, I had done it since meeting him and… It's so foreign to me." I explained.

"You're feeling." She said. Stating fact. It was quiet again as she tilted her head at me and then squinted her eyes softly. "You love him." She concluded. I just nodded so timidly I didn't even know if she could really make out that it was in fact a nod.

"And it can never work."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm _this" _I said gesturing to myself. She just scoffed and took a sip of wine.

"Oh please who the hell is he?…. Who the hell is too good for _you?" _She asked.

"I haven't been me in years I don't fit into that world at all, and I think he's in love with someone else and I really don't think he's over her."

"Do you genuinely think that or are you too scared to ask because you're scared of …. Loving again?" She asked me. I just shrugged. "You aren't seriously thinking of leaving with all these unanswered questions!?" She asked me incredulously.

"Listen…. You are not seventeen anymore… I love you I do but you owe it to yourself to let someone in… and to let yourself be happy and to _feel." _She said. I bit my lip as her words got to me and I did it to keep the tears from falling. "You don't hurt anyone but yourself when you don't let love in." She said looking at me with tears in her own eyes now. This talk probably too much for her given what she'd gone through herself.

"I'm scared." I whispered finally. She just smiled and nodded. She took my hand in hers.

"I know and you have a right it sounds complicated but… it Is better to know then to run… Go back. You owe it to yourself…. To go back." She whispered. And I just nodded before she engulfed me in a hug.

"Okay." I whispered.

"After the weekend." She said.

"After the weekend." I agreed.

**Getting little glimpses into Bella's life, tell me what ya guys think! **


	8. Chapter 8

Is that what you do?

"There you are!" Said the voice of Angela as I took my bag out from the trunk of my Ubers car. She was in her uniform but unlike usual she was wearing her glasses today. For whatever reason, she never wore them. She ran up to me as I walked towards the building.

"Hey." I said with a smile.

"Where the hell were you? Alice said you just left town? How dare you leave me in her hands when I need help picking my cotillion dress!" She said as we walked into the building and toward the elevator.

"I was out of town visiting a friend, and Alice would be a better person to pick a dress out with." I said as I pressed my floor number. "Did you do your homework?" I asked.

"Yes, now why did Alice make it sound like you were leaving and never coming back or something? Did you talk to Edward did you find out who that skank was? I followed him all day for you." She said going off as we left the elevator on my floor and rounded the corner to my apartment.

"I already knew who she was she's his friend from high school. Angela stop being nosey" I said as I turned the key.

"Who laughs that much with friends!" She exclaimed raising her hand in frustration trying to get me to see reason. I pushed my door open and when I did Edward jumped up from my couch. His clothes were dishevelled, and he looked exhausted, as if he camped out here all night.

"Uh… What are you doing here?" I asked softly, pulling my suitcase into the house. Angela just stood there looking between the two of us.

"I was waiting for you. Look I. am. So. Sorry." He started walking over to me. It was just then that I noticed his eyes were blood shot. I looked over at Angela who didn't look pleased at all.

"Why don't you go upstairs and we can talk about your cotillion dress… when I'm done here." I said to her softly. She just nodded with her arms crossed.

"Fine." She answered turning on her heel and leaving the apartment, closing the door behind her. I brought my attention back to Edward.

"Ok so you want to tell me how you ended up in my house?"

"I found your spare key, in your desk-

"You went through my desk?"

"I had to Bella… I had to look…. I don't know why you left town and have been ignoring my calls but I can only assume it's because of Irena and what you heard and."

"I don't care about Irena, Edward." I answered throwing my key on the counter and walking into my kitchen. Pouring myself some water, I made no effort to drink it though. He followed me and was on the other side of the counter.

"Is it about what happened in the Hamptons or…. About what didn't happen?" He said nervously fisting his hair. I just sighed a little bit before I spoke.

"Edward…. This… isn't going to work."

"God Bella don't say that… it's because of the Hamptons isn't look I didn't make a move that night because I-

"Because I wasn't what you wanted?"

"No!... because I didn't want to royally fuck up and make you think that… I didn't… I wasn't right for you by pushing you or us."

"Regardless Edward I… I can't be that girl okay? I can't be an Irena or a Tanya and I know that's what you need I know that's what people like your mother expect from you and-

"My mother… How did my mother get into this?" He held his hands out in frustration. I just let out a breath not wanting to have this conversation so early. I was so tired from my flight and being on the airport I had so much shit going through my mind. But the man had broken into my house, so it was clear that this was going to get resolved, whether for the good or the bad.

"She came by to invite me to her anniversary party with your father… and … Edward she doesn't like me." I breathed out, he shook his head taking my face in his hands.

"I don't care Bella…. I don't care about my mother and what she likes and what she doesn't like…. I'm not going to lie to you I've been hesitant, my world sucks and I don't want anyone to poison what's growing between us… but I guess they already are and I'm not particularly helping it am I?"

"No really…. Look I just don't need to be anyone's charity case. I really don't need it, and I'm not going to subject myself to scrutiny for someone who seems to be confused-

"I'm not confused anymore…. Bella, I care about you and this is the first time in a long time that I've been happy and sane and not sad…. And it's because of you…. Don't leave me don't leave." He begged. I leaned in closer to him. He kissed my forehead before he wrapped his arms around me. He got down on one knee and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Be my girlfriend?" He asked me placing a diamond tennis bracelet on my wrist before I could even answer. I just laughed nodding and he got back up, he kissed me passionately and I the next thing I knew it was getting urgent. He lifted me up and carried me to my kitchen counter and I started to unbutton his shirt, while he kissed down my neck. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and tangled into his messy hair.

"Are you sure?" He asked softly. I nodded as I continued to kiss him. He lifted me up and carried me into my bedroom. He took off my shirt and immediately attacked one of my nipples that sprang free.

"Fuck." I said. He looked into my eyes with this intense gaze that I knew was taken over by lust.

"You ready?" he murmured. I just nodded as he left himself into me and I kept my eyes focused on those green eyes of his, getting totally and completely lost in them.

**OOOoo**

"What about this one?" I asked as I brushed a soft scar on his shoulder. He laid on his back putting his hands behind his head.

"Me and my little sister Rosalie were at summer camp, and she pushed me off a canoe."

"What!?"

"Yeah she was always trying to kill me and ruin my life, I genuinely plan to keep you far away from her she's a little psycho."

"Sounds fun."

"You can handle her." He assured as he held me closer to him. I snuggled my head into his neck. He intertwined his finger with mine. We were just laying here after our love-making if that's what you could call it. I mean I definitely wasn't going to say it out loud, but I was sure that's what it was.

"Where'd you go by the way?" He asked against my skin.

"Dartmouth." I answered simply, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Who's at Dartmouth?"

"An old high school friend." I answered flipped myself so that I was on top of him.

"Dartmouth is impressive." He said putting his hands behind his head to prop himself. I kissed down his chest.

"Yes, the poor waitress has friends in high places." I said softly as I kissed him.

"I didn't mean it like that," He argued softly holding onto my thigs and gripping them. "Dartmouth is impressive in general but I guess it would make sense that you and your friends were smart people, you were at Stanford." He commented.

"Yeah for a semester." I said sarcastically as I rested my head against his chest, he played with my hair.

"That's still a hard school to get into." He whispered encouragingly.

"It wasn't for me." I said truthfully, knowing he wouldn't know the double meaning behind my words.

"Would you ever go back?"

"To Stanford?" I asked my voice raising an octave. He nodded. I thought about it for a second.

"I mean … no. I can't." I answered getting up. He followed behind me as I went into the kitchen in his shirt. I was avoiding looking at him in the eye because he was doing that _thing. _That incredibly annoying thing where he would look at me with this look, this look where I knew he was trying to figure me out, trying to piece things together and understand me. Understand why I said things, why I did things, what things meant.

_I hated that look. _

That look made me trust him, it made me want to believe in him and us and the idea that there can be a future for whatever this was. _That look made me want to stay. _

DING!

"Ah nourishment." I exclaimed going over to the toaster and putting one pop tart on the table for me and then one for him. He bit into it, still looking at me.

"What?" I asked annoyed. He just pulled me to him, he kissed my forehead.

"Nothing, nothing at all"

**OOOOooo**

"Okay stay still."

"Alice this is ridiculous."

"It's fucking needed okay. We're talking about Cullen's at the Volturi mansion. Do you even _understand _the death trap you're about to go into?"

"The Volturi mansion is not that prestigious" I said with an eyeroll as I held onto a chair in front of me, while Alice worked to zip up this monstrosity of a dress she thought I just had to wear to Edward's parents' anniversary party.

"How would you know? You've never been there."

"I have been there thank you very much." I snapped as she pulled and tried to zip. I gripped the chair in front of me while Alice's little hands did all she could to zip up the dress, I honestly thought was butt ugly. It was green, with frills and pearls with _silk and buttons. _This thing was hideous and even worse it was like six-thousand dollars. I almost barfed at the ridiculousness of it all. Angela busted through the door holding two big bags of Chinese food and Maria by her side eating a popsicle she most likely wasn't supposed to have.

"Why does she have that?" Alice snapped letting me go, my dress all forgotten as she looked at her daughter with the treat. Angela shrugged.

"We flipped a coin, I lost." She answered as she rummaged through the bag looking for her food. Maria scrunched up her eyebrows at me, and I gave Alice a pointed look.

"I told you this thing was butt ugly." I said as I shimmied out of it and went into my closet.

"No Bella! You need to wear this!"

"No actually I don't" I said as I went into my closet and rummaged through the dresses I had in here. I went to the very back of the closet and picked up the big white box that I hadn't touched in ages. I pulled out the dress from the box and slipped the dress on, careful not to ruin the makeup that Alice had done so long to do. When the dress was finally on, I walked out of the closet and back into the living room where they were all waiting.

"Wow you look gorgeous." Angela praised with a mouth full of noodles. Alice folded her arms.

"You look beautiful… where'd you get that? Is that vintage-

"Dior? Yes." I said smugly as I zipped it up from the side. The dress in question was a royal blue halter dress that reached mid- thigh. It was simple but still extremely sexy and elegant. I put on diamond earrings that I stole from my mother years ago and went to go stand in front of the mirror.

"Where'd you get Vintage Dior money… how much is Edward paying you exactly?"

"For your information this is a dress I had _before _Edward started paying me anything". I said particularly snippy today not exactly knowing why. I didn't know if it was nerves for going around Edward's parents- which I don't know why seeing as how I'd met people like them before and I had never been intimidated. Or if it was something else. I stared at myself in the mirror and wanted so desperately to add a bracelet or something -but I didn't, I knew that I probably shouldn't have, as it would raise more questions that I didn't have the answer too if I pulled out expensive jewellery. I slid on some black strappy heels and got a simple black Dior clutch that I just kept my keys in and nothing else.

"Well you look beautiful but I still think-

"Alice no one is going to respect her if she goes looking like the wicked witch of the west. Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's good." Angela argued as she fed Maria some noodles carefully from her fork. Maria was playing with her Ipad and wouldn't have eaten if Angela wasn't spoon feeding her. Sometimes it was weird to me how hyperactive kids could be.

"Yah!" Maria started with a mouth full of noodles.

"Swallow your food first." Angela prompted softly as Maria chewed holding her Ipad. She chewed all her food and then smiled up at Angela. "Okay, speak." She said.

"I think Bellsey looks great mama." Maria said coming over to my leg.

"Why thank you little woman." I said holding onto her. She gave me a greasy kiss on the cheek but I didn't mind, she ran off right after to go do what she does.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

All of us turned toward the door and Maria ran toward it.

"Who is it?" she sang.

"Eddie-kins." Said Edward's muffled voice. She swung the door open excitedly and jumped into his arms. He was dressed in a button down and had his silk shirt rolled up, exposing muscular incredible arms. He wasn't wearing a jacket but I knew it was because of how hot it'd been in New York lately. He came in carrying Maria and Alice took her from her arms.

"Nice Edward, very chic." Angela praised again.

"Thank you little lady number two." He said kissing the top of her head.

"How come I can't go to the party." She asked

"Because I think it's best we keep you away from my mother." He said nicely. She nodded in agreement and gave a little shrug, then he glided over to me and hooked one arm around me kissing me on the cheek.

"Ready to go to the shark tank?"

"Oh yeah I was born ready. How bad can it be?"

**OOOOOoooo**

It was pretty bad.

No, it was pretty horrible. The women were anyways, a lot of them didn't like me. Why? Because they loved Tanya. She may have cheated on Edward and left him for his best friend but that didn't matter, she was Tanya Denali the golden child. I had been introduced to a lot of powerful women in New York's elite by Edward- Friends of his mothers' and they'd smile and then once it realised that I was the new girl that Esme probably shared her disapproval of, they'd give me a look that was anything but nice and they'd turn and ask Edward about the company and then about Tanya or Irina or any other socially acceptable woman. He was polite, always charismatic, and always comforting. Gone was the Edward that I felt was hiding me, his hands were around my waist. I got reassuring squeezes, he would constantly whisper questions asking me for assurance on if I was okay. I could tell he was worrying about me but I could also tell that he had a job to do. He had to smooze and he had to network, I knew that much so I hid my discomfort and I hid my anger and I hid the constant nagging feeling that I wanted to go home just to prove a point to these people, but I didn't- because I loved Edward- and running away to my world wasn't going to help me accepted into his- even if I liked mine better- In reality … this was a new feeling for me. I had never been on the other side of this kind of elite scrutiny- I hated it. Especially since I knew I did not have to deal with any of it. On the other side of things, we hadn't seen Edwards parents yet and I was preparing myself for that meeting. I was already dreading it.

"Sweetie are you going to be okay by yourself for five minutes while I get this deal settled?" He asked me in front of some man he was talking too.

"Of course." I answered softly. He smiled softly kissing me briefly before he walked off with whoever that guy was to go finish talk business. The guy in question left his girlfriend behind- I assumed so that us girls would talk and get along- but that wasn't going to happen. She had a bitchy raised eyebrow and challenged I say anything to her.

"Can I help you?" I snapped.

"You know you'll never fit in here, your mom was a whole swinger you think that's going to fly?" She scoffed. My phone rang in my little clutch and I pulled it out looking at the area code that always made my heart skip a beat. I looked up at her from my phone.

"I don't _need_ to fit in here." Was all I said before I turned and walked away and went to go stand beside one of the pretty bars. The Volturi mansion was a prestigious castle like residence in New York. It was created by Aro Volturi a famous artist- one of the richest in the world- and he retired to Italy half of the year and allowed for upscale parties and events to be held on the compound the other half. To have a party here though cost a pretty penny, especially one of this magnitude. There were fancy tents, waiters and waitresses with flutes of champagne. Romantic lanterns lit all over the expansive backyard of the residence as people walked around mingled in their finest designer dresses and pressed suits. My phone was basically screaming at me to pick it up but I ignored it when I made eye contact with the pretty bartender I spoke.

"Martini please, Dirty." I instructed she just nodded and went to fetch me my drink. Just then I heard a voice behind me.

"You always did have a little drinking problem." Said a familiar voice I turned to be faced with the dirty blonde hair and green eyes of Alec. He was standing there holding his cell phone in his hands. The one he just used to call me..

"Why aren't you answering my call?"

"Because I don't want to speak to you… ass." I shot at him. I looked right then looked left making sure Edward didn't see us talking. This is one question my smart ass would not even have the answer too.

"I already told you I was sorry for what I did." He reasoned softly. I just took the newly placed martini and chugged it down.

"Edward can't see us talking to each other."

"_Who?" _

"My boyfriend… this is his parents' party." I said quietly. "Now go away."

"You know he's going to find out the truth eventually it might as well be now." He reasoned as he took a sip of his own drink.

"You can't tell him anything, okay?" I begged quietly.

"Why?" He shot back angrily. "what the hell are trying to do dye you hair some more?… you want to continue playing dress up in Jane's clothes?" He shot back quietly.

"Bella?" Said the voice of Edward, both Alec and I looked over to see Edward approaching us. He wrapped his arm around my waist. "Sorry that took longer than expected he was being difficult." He said to me. I smiled, and kissed his cheek.

"Its okay." I whispered to him. _Because it was, anything he did was okay with me and this is why I was such a damn mess of a person right now. _

His eyes met Alec.

"Who's your friend?" Edward asked me.

"Oh how rude of me. Alec, Alec Volturi" He said his free hand to meet Edward's. Edward looked impressed.

"Oh, wow this is your house then isn't it?" He joked. Alec laughed along with him.

"Yeah it is I'm just here to pick some clothes before I heard off to Paris for the rest of the summer. I shouldn't even be on this side of the property but you know, free alcohol." He said raising his drink. Edward saluted him.

"I hear that, how do you two know each other?"

I looked at Alec with pleading eyes.

"Oh we lived close to each other when we both went to Stanford. Become good old friends there… bonding over keggers." He said lightheartedly. I let out a little laugh, trying to hide how uncomfortable I was. Edward didn't seem to notice my discomfort or if he did, he didn't say anything.

"Sounds like my Bella, did you guys smoke a lot of pot too?" He asked Alec threw his head back and laughed, despite my discomfort I let out a laugh too – a real one- and then I looked up at him. His eyes met mine. He held me tighter to him.

"She likes to have fun." He said looking directly in my eyes.

"Alright you two love birds you go enjoy the rest of the party." Alec said nicely shoving us off.

"Nice to meet you." Edward said removing his arm form me to shake his hand in goodbye. I waved softly and when Edward and I turned our backs I heard my name.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" I said turning around to face Alec once more.

"I'll be calling to catch up… Jane would love to see you again." He said with sincerity in his eyes. I just gave a little nod and then turned around to take Edward's awaiting hand, and he whisked me away to the rest of the party. To show me off to a bunch of people, who would rather not see me at all.

Pacifist.

Edward's father was a pacifist.

He was nice, he was genuine and like his son he had a magnetic personality that everyone kind of just was drawn too. How he was in love with Esme and liked her is something I will never understand. Carlisle was trying to get to know me, that much was obvious. Esme was trying to get me mad and Rosalie? Well Rosalie just stared.

"And Carlisle little Bella here is from Vegas…"

"Ahh sin city" Carlisle said enthusiastically as we sat at one of the many small round tables that was beautifully decorated. People were walking around coming up every so often to say congratulations, give hugs, gossip. Edward and I were sitting hand in hand in the presence of his parents and occasionally Rosalie. She was sitting with us earlier but I think she got upset at her fathers' kindness toward me so she left with Irina. Who Esme fawned over – by the way-

"I lived in Vegas for two years after high school, I loved it I loved the culture." He complimented. Edward let out a laugh.

"What culture? It's Vegas you get drunk and do drugs." He said amused at Carlisle.

"Exactly." Carlisle said, Esme rolled her eyes. "Do you miss it? Home?" He asked me nicely as he loosened up the button on his shirt sleeve.

"Uh sometimes… I miss the warmth." I answered truthfully. Carlisle nodded thoughtfully.

"What about your family? You ever go back and see your parents?" He asked. I just smiled softly and shook my head.

"No." I answered simply. He was about to speak but Rosalie came back to the table.

"Edward, Dr. Willard is looking for you something about his daughters amazing potential best seller?"

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Right, right. I'll be right back." He said to me softly. I just nodded, he gave me a kiss on the forehead and then he and Rosalie disappeared into the small crowd of people. I was left with the sharks and I felt an attack coming.

"So Bella, Edward is planning on having children do you want children?" Esme asked forcefully. Carlisle gave her a side eye.

"Esme let the kids live." He said a half attempt to try and control his wife but it wasn't going to happen that much I knew.

"You understand the place that Edward holds in our society he can't just be with a anybody… and quite frankly we don't even know you." She continued.

"Have you tried?" I asked amused, she tilted her head at me then crossed her arms. I said nothing for a few seconds but then I did.

"Look I get it, your son is the best thing that's ever happened to the world in your eyes…. But I would wonder if you loved him so much why you wouldn't just want him to be as happy as you." I said softly before I picked up my glass and tilted it in her direction before I got up and left that table. I shot down what was left in my glass and I wondered into the house to look at the amazing artwork Aro Volturi had hung up in the estate that I never paid attention to in the past. I was staring at one of his most famous paintings and tilted my head to the side at the image of familiar brown eyes at stared back at me in the painting. I felt a presence beside me.

"He has amazing work but most people have no idea what he means by anything to be honest." Tanya said from beside me. I turned to look at her and smiled softly.

"I know." I answered softly.

"Really?" She asked shocked that I could know anything about art.

"Really… that one's my favourite." I said pointing to the one in front of her. "I like the meaning behind it."

"What's the meaning?" She asked me.

"It's about an orgy in Italy." I said strongly. Tanya choked on her drink.

"I highly doubt that, that amazing piece of work is about something so crude… and it's a little disrespectful to even say something like that." She said the last part lowly as if scolding me. I couldn't open my mouth to say anything back to her, because Edward's amused voice spoke.

"Bella, the car is here to bring us home." He said softly. He reached his hand out for mine and I took it.

"It was nice to see you Tanya." He said in goodbye. She waved albeit reluctantly and the two of us walked in silence through the party, he said goodbye to his sister, various family members and friends and then we made our way to the front where the valet was waiting with his car. He held the door open for me and I got in. It was a silent ride to his house, neither of us saying much. I didn't know what to say, was he mad? Was he happy? Did he realize just how hard this relationship would be to fuel? It was only when I was brushing my teeth that he came over to me, taking my face in his hands -in his pjs.

"Hi." He said softly.

"Hi." I squinted my eyes at him. He looked amused, he put his forehead to mine.

"I'm happy you came tonight." He said quietly.

"I'm scared." I admitted quietly. He quirked his eyebrow.

"Why?"

"I… don't belong there and one day it's going to blow up and –

"I don't care Bella." He whispered brushing a lock of my hair behind my ear. I rested my head against his chest and breathed in his scent.

"I have something to tell you." I started with.

"Me first." He said taking my hand and guiding me into his bedroom. He walked over to the side drawer and pulled out a ring. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"It's a promise ring." He assured as he popped open to the reveal the classic emerald cut, emerald ring from Harry Winston. "You said green was your favourite color right?"

"Oh my God." I whispered taking the box delicately in my hand. He popped it out of the box and placed the huge diamond ring on my finger.

"Size five, dainty fingers." He whispered to me as he put his forehead to mine. I was admiring the ring holding my hand up away from me.

"Edward, I cant believe you bought me this." I said as he kissed down my neck. Totally enthralled by the flesh on my collar as he licked and nipped.

"Don't leave me." He begged barely above a whisper. "I don't care what anyone says, I don't care what anyone wants… just don't leave me because of it. I want you and only you nothing else matters." He whispered his green eyes smoldering into mine.

"Ok." I promised softly through my tears.

"Promise me Bella.."

"I promise Edward… I'll never leave you."


	9. Chapter 9

It's Almost Normal

_RIIING_

_RIIIING _

_RIIING _

"Ugh." I muttered, ignoring my screeching phone as I snuggled deeper into the bed, I pulled Bella's sleeping body closer to mine and turned into her brown hair. When my phone stopped ringing, I was more than happy to lay there in quiet. I knew I had to be at work, but it was so much harder waking up in the mornings than it was before.

_Because she was always here with me, so for the first time in I don't know how long, I was actually sleeping. _

Bella didn't move in by any means, but she basically should have at this point. We were here most nights, or sometimes we went to her place. Sometimes Angela stayed over in the guest bedroom the nights she worked at the office. We had fallen into a nice little routine Bella and I. I waited for the stresses that came with dating someone that I worked with, but it never came. We were able to separate work life and our dating life for the most part.

_KNOCK _

_KNOCK _

_KNOCK _

_KNOCK _

"Ugh what!" I yelled at my bedroom door. Angela pushed the double doors open, she was standing there looking tired as she held out her cell phone toward me. Bella groaned and pulled the pillow over her head but said nothing as I took the cell phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"It's me! Get to work now! You have six meetings and everyone is driving me crazy where the fuck is Bella!? And where are you?" Renesme yelled into the receiver.

"It's my day off." Bella groaned from beside me.

"I don't care!" Was all she said before she hung up the phone. I jumped a little at her tone and dial tone that came when she hung up the phone. I handed the phone back to a half dead Angela and she walked out of the room half asleep.

"You have three meetings with energy productions today you gotta go." She mumbled into my skin.

"I'd really rather fucking not." I said as I held her, her dark brown sex hair was glorious as she sat and passed her hand through it, the diamond that I gave her shimmering, it was enough to grab anyone's attention and that's what I wanted. We weren't married.

_But she was fucking mine. _

No one was taking her from me. Maybe it sounded a little caveman, a little possessive but I didn't care. I was a man possessed.

"You have to, you have to drive Ang to school remember." She said falling back into the bed and hugging her pillow. I envied that pillow.

"Alright, Alright." I whispered getting up and placing a little kiss on her shoulder before I went into the bathroom to get ready for the day. I showered, shaved threw some cologne on. Looked dapper as usual. When I was done getting ready Bella was still laying in bed, dead to the world.

"Don't be late for our dinner," I warned her knowing she had this tendency to be late. Bella was late every day for work, all our meetings, all our work dinners. I always told her not to be late but we both knew she'd be late. She drove me fucking nuts in the moments that I'd be waiting for her but then she'd burst through, a whirlwind of "sorry I was late" and would grab everyone with her charm and whit.

"Yah." She mumbled still in bed. I snapped my watch on as I left the room and went downstairs to find Angela waiting for me in her schoolgirl uniform that was too short, because I knew she also had a tendency to roll it up. Whenever I dropped her at school it was an argument. Bella and I were basically raising this annoying ass teenager and there were times I worried so much about her and what she was doing I had to remind myself that she had parents. But then I'd remind myself that they were just about nowhere to be found half of the time.

"This is the style." She argued.

"Go roll it down I'm not even in the mood to argue with you today." I said with a no nonsense tone. The last thing we fucking needed was her bringing home another married fucking teacher. I still couldn't believe that's what brought her and Bella together and when she told me the situation, I almost filed a police report against the idiot, how dare he take advantage of this teenager? Bella convinced me to keep quiet though, the last thing we needed was putting Angela through that.

"Whatever." She said going into the powder room to fix herself up, I locked up and the both of us made way to the underground parking lot where the vanquish was ready for us. It was one of my favorites.

"How many cars do you even have?" She asked as we got in and I backed up out of the spot.

"A lot." I answered walking around and getting in the drivers side. Angela yawned and read through her textbook as I sped to the school.

"I'm not coming in today, I'm going to cotillion rehearsal and then I'm going to a beach party so I won't be home till Sunday." She informed me as she read her textbook.

"Did you tell Bella?"

"Yeah, she said to just make sure one of you knew where I was at all times." She rolled her eyes. Not taking her eyes up from that book, I said nothing not really comfortable with her going but I didn't say that. Again, there was that nagging voice in the back of my head that reminded me that Bella and I were guiding her but we were by no means her parents. We couldn't stop Angela from going anywhere. There was a part of me that wondered why I even cared so much, but I guess it was an attachment I had to not just her but to all of them. Like I said, it was kind of always just Renesme and I. I had never had that extended care with more than one person. We kind of all looked out for each other and it was… nice. Nice to belong to a family kind of thing. When I got to the private school that I myself attended many years ago, I watched as the curious teenagers stared at Angela in envy. I knew she was pretty popular before we came into her life, but the constant rides she got in this car or the convertible probably spiked her already high popularity.

"Alright you got everything?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said opening the door. Before she left she turned to look at me and smiled, that bright smile I'm sure she got from Bella, cause Bella did it all the time. "I promise I'm going to be okay… don't worry about me too much." She said knowing I was holding back on voicing my concerns. I just smiled at her before she bounded off into the school, and when she thought I couldn't see rolled her skirt back up before she walked off with her friends.

OOOoo

"Okay so I just want to let you know that this contract is one hundred percent exclusive to us, you can definitely take it look it over have your people call my people. I know you're being head hunted right now but I want you on my team you have great talent." I said to the young writer that was in front of me who I was trying to get to sign my contract. Bella found him online, he was making waves in the YA online fiction market. He was a trailblazer, I could tell. The blonde-haired kid looked up at me skeptical.

"The last guys legit tried to rip me off."

"I genuinely don't doubt it." I said leaning back in the chair. "That's why I'm giving you full time to look over everything, with a lawyer of your choice you can come back to me you can change things. It's going to be a mutual beneficial agreement-

"Edward." Said Renesme walking into my office. I held my hands out in annoyance, she knew I hated to be interrupted. She knew way better than that.

"I know." She said to my aggravated look. She said nothing as Embry appeared beside her dressed smartly in a suit. I quirked my eyebrow looking at him curiously. "I told him you were in a meeting. He didn't listen." She said through gritted teeth. I looked back at my client.

"I can leave, I gotta look over this stuff anyways I will definitely be in touch." He got up hastily shaking my hand before getting his stuff and leaving the room followed by Renesme who was repeating apologies to him. Embry walked in and closed the door behind him, I leaned in my chair.

"Very nice renovations on this place… you're like on top of the world here." He said as he walked around my expansive office. He went to the large floor to ceiling windows with his hands shoved in his pocket.

"Yeah, what do you want?" I asked cutting to the chase, not in the mood to be nice and cordial, especially with him.

"A guy can't come and see an old friend?"

"I would hardly call us that." I answered. The both of us stared each other down for a few seconds before he sat in the chair across for me. His eyes zeroed in on the picture of Bella on my desk and I looked at him. "What are you doing here Embry." I asked the man I grew up with but could barely look at now.

"You know that despite everything that I have done, I care about you?"

I just stared, leaning in my chair. He knew I wasn't going to take the bait.

"Your girlfriend, Bella."

"What about her?" I asked defensively, quickly, daring him to say anything out of order about her.

"Can you trust her? Tanya and I both agree we think she's off."

"_You? _….Think she's off…? And I'm supposed to just listen to you? You don't even know her."

"Neither do you." He shot back.

"Where is this coming from?"

"I saw her talking to Alec Volturi at the party, they seemed very chum chummy and what does a girl like her know about Alec Volturi-

"A girl like her?"

"Look I'm not here to judge anyone, but it's no secret she's not exactly you know…Elite like the rest of us."

"Not that it's any of your business but she went to Stanford and that's where she met Alec Volturi. They were chum chummy because they used to go to keggers together when she was a college student." I answered to his guilty looking face.

"Now if you're done insulting my girlfriend, I think I can see you out." I said getting up. He turned to look at me.

"Edward…. I know we've said this a million times but look we never meant to hurt you, and I would hate it absolutely hate it… if you got hurt again after everything you've been through… after everything we put you through." He said softly, before he left the office and I let out a breath going to my desk and sitting back in my chair. Of course, I had always known that there was going to be people that did not approve of us, I didn't even approve of us at first due to my own superficial notions. But people didn't understand, she was different… this was different. More different than I had with anyone I've ever been with. It wasn't just nice to come home and someone be there, I _craved _her at the end of each day. I needed her and her stupid sloppy joes. I started this relationship off in the dumbest way possible but it wasn't my intentions with her anymore. I wasn't trying to use Bella… I loved her. Renesme came barreling through the door holding both the company phones in her hand.

"What the hell did he want?"

"To be an ass." I answered going to my desk and sitting behind it. "He doesn't trust Bella."

"I don't trust him…. He's a fucking slut and a liar and a homewrecker." She said childishly as she took a seat. I said nothing as I leaned into my chair again.

"This is what I didn't want."

"What? People judging her and tearing her apart you knew this would happen. But if you care about her… fuck em." She said It was silent for a while and I finally decided to voice how I feel.

"I think I love her Renesme." Said quietly. My eyes met hers and she smiled softly, slowly..

"Edward… that's great." She said quietly. "If there's anybody that deserves this its you. You deserve to be happy." She croaked quietly. Just then the door bust open and there she was in a red sundress, hair in a ponytail looking as beautiful as ever.

"What are we doing?" She asked as she danced in, throwing her bag on the couch. I got up and took her into my arms. I kissed the top of her head.

"I just finishing up work, before we go out to eat. Look at you surprisingly on time." I said sarcastically. She threw her head back and laughed she shoved me a little. Renesme got up and ushered us out of the office.

"Your car is downstairs anyways. You guys have to go." Was all she said before she closed the door behind us and we left the building.

OOOOo

"I'm telling you, you two are definitely the only two I will ever see work so seamlessly together my ex-wife and I most definitely got divorced because we just couldn't pull it off." Tyler Crowley said as we sat in an intimate candle lit dinner at a private reserved area of the restaurant. Bella looked at me amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Its not easy but I wouldn't have it any other way." I joked.

"He lied its easy I'm a walk in the park." She assured him. He laughed and as the waitress filled our glasses he got down to business.

"You know as fun as this has been I'm here to discuss the future of the relationship between Crowley Inc and Cullen Inc and I genuinely love what you have done with your company Edward I foresee amazing things." He said.

"But-

Bella edged with a little smile.

"But can I trust you two with the public handlings of this relationship. It's not just your company it would be mine and I know how much a first movie can flop. A production company is a lot this is more than just FanFic here… we're talking Hollywood you don't think the two of you are way in over your heads here?"

"Definitely not… I know Hollywood like the back of my hand trust me… I can handle it Edward and I can handle it we just need the support of Crowley Inc." Bella reasoned softly.

"Well if that's the case… I would need one of you in LA off and on for the next year. For this to work I'd need that from the two of you." He said. Bella stiffened and I felt the air grow tense because she didn't say anything, but after a few moments she nodded.

"Done." I answered.

"Good." He said closing the deal, leaving Bella pale and me confused.

OOOOoo

"Do you plan on telling me what the problem … is?" I asked Bella confused as I watched her walk around her apartment, cleaning nothing.

"Problem? Why would there be a problem we just closed a huge deal."

"Problem you're doing that thing."

"Thing?"

"Yeah, whenever you're hiding from me you pretend like everything is okay but you meticulously clean nothing." I pointed out.

"Did you check on Angela?" She asked as she sprayed the countertop that she previously sprayed five times.

"Yes, I did she's fine. Pretending she's not drunk but she's fine." I said taking her cleaning supplies and placing them on the counter. I took her face in my hands and made her look at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I…. can't go to LA…. I can't be the one that goes there."

"Okay that's fine do you want to tell me why?"

"… It reminds me of when I lived there… when I went to Stanford."

"It brings back painful memories?"

"Yes… and other things."

"Bella, look…. I love you." I said regretting the minute I said it because it made her look sick but she didn't throw up or anything. She just stood still. "I put a ring on your finger as a symbol of how serious I was about you and us. How committed I was to moving on from my past." I said. She just nodded.

"I know."

"And I don't think you've done that. I don't even know your past… I know more about the mail guy who comes into the office than I know about you and I'm in love with you… I'm not going to push you on why you seem to be terrified of going back to a city that you're not even from, but I am going to push you to fix your issues because it's the only way you and I are going to build a life. I need to know who I'm building with. I'm not going to continue to be in love with a ghost." I said in a soft tone. She had tears in her eyes and crossed her arms but didn't say anything. I took her into my arms gently and kissed her forehead and then kissed her hand. I got up promptly and with one last squeeze left her apartment and left her alone to think about the ultimatum I just gave her. Hoping that if she had to choose between our future and her past, she chose me, because I'd choose her a million times over if I had to.

**OOOOoo **

**Sorry about taking so long to update… life. I also fixed the last chapter I noticed for some reason there were not scene breaks so it just seemed like one run one chapter …. Don't know why or how that happened but its fixed. I'll be posting again soon. Don't forget to review, thanks so much. **

**OOOOo**


	10. Chapter 10

The Mistress of Reinvention

ooOOOOOoo

Bella.

"Look, Bella I can't force you to open up to me… I don't benefit from pressuring you into opening up. You need to do it on your own time, at your own pace, for your own benefit." Dr. Zafrina said as she sat across from me, notebook in hand, legs crossed, hair in a high ponytail. Nothing but serious business face on. She said it after what was about five minutes of silence. I threw my head back in frustration. I wasn't trying to be difficult I genuinely wasn't, it was just _so hard. _I had spent so long not saying anything and if it was anything it was a half-truth or a full bold-faced lie. I had no idea how or where to even start.

"Why don't we start with how you feel right now?"

"I feel antsy."

"Why?"

"Angela's cotillion is tonight and I have to be around a lot of people that I try to avoid being around."

"What kind of people is that?"

"Rich ones… rich people and their kids. Not to mention I haven't been to a cotillion in years." I said she leaned back in her chair.

"So, you've frequented cotillions?"

"Some… I told Edward and Angela I've never been to any."

"But you have?" She pushed gently I nodded.

"Yeah… I've been to five."

"Five?" She said a little shocked as her eyes edged to my converse. I let out a little laugh.

"Yeah… five." I whispered getting choked up.

"Whose cotillions, were they?" She asked.

"All of my siblings…and… mine." I choked out. She smiled softly though, we were making headway. She knew something, something truthful.

"Wow and why have you kept that from Edward and Angela." She questioned.

"He thinks my family is dead."

"And they're not?"

"No, not physically anyways just dead to me."

"And going to this cotillion makes you antsy because it reminds you of when you were with them? Right?" She pointed out. I nodded.

"Not just that." I answered quietly. She sat up and her eyes softened.

"What else does it remind you of?"

"It reminds me of a time that I _was_ Angela."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked. I passed my hand through my hair and bit my lip, already having said too much.

"Nothing."

**OOOOo**

I was walking up the steps going through my mail not really paying attention as I did. So, I was surprised when I heard her.

"Bella, right?" I looked up at the top of the staircase to see her.

_Angela's mom. _

I smiled softly.

"Mrs. Webber, Hi." I said curtly as I shoved my mail in my sling purse. She eyes it with a raised eyebrow but didn't say anything else after it. She was a beautiful woman, but I knew the face she was currently sporting. It was the same one her daughter usually had on before she became attached to my hip. Angela's mother did not like me very much and I was about to find out why.

"Hello, Angela told her father and I that you would be driving her to this cotillion? Correct?"

"Well… my boyfriend Edward and I were going to bring her we weren't aware that she already had a ride"

"You made the assumption that we'd miss our only daughter's cotillion?" She challenged. I tilted my head at her. Realistically, I knew exactly the best way to handle women like Angela's mother. My mother was a woman like Angela's mother, but the pettier part of me couldn't flatter her and play nice.

"Well you're barely home and missed everything else I just assumed-

"What did you just say to me?" She said her eyes darkening. I just scoffed before I walked over to my door.

"If you want to bring Angela to her cotillion that's absolutely fine. She's your daughter and at the end of the day what you guys decide is up to you…. But I'm just going to make this clear. I care about your daughter she's _like my daughter _and you're not going to keep me away from moments like this… because I have put a lot of my life into making sure that she's okay and I care about her." I said. She just stood there with her arms crossed.

"I don't appreciate someone with no kids telling me how to parent."

"I would never and have never done that. All I know is what Angela needs-

"You're basically her age, you don't know what she needs from a parent-

"Actually, I do because not too long ago I was a girl getting ready for my own cotillion with bigger problems than my dress and wishing I could talk to my mother about those problems. I know what Angela needs… she needs you, but she settles for me cause you're not around for anything that doesn't involve her wearing a nice dress for the society pages." I shot back. I didn't say anything and was about to but then my door swung upon to reveal Edward, his tie loose from a long day at work with a beer in his hand.

"Bella, is that you?" He asked. I walked up toward my door and Mrs. Weber and I came into view.

"Mrs. Webber, how are you?" Edward asked always the gentlemen. She hid her horns and smiled. Edward Cullen was Esme Cullen's son after all and that was a trophy in itself. Lord praise Edward for falling out of such an elite vagina. He hooked his arm around my waist and kissed my forehead.

"I'm great Edward, Bella and I were just working out the kinks for Angela's ride to Cotillion." She said.

"Angela's coming with us, right? She said she wanted to go in the vanquish." Edward said mostly to me. I just gave him a look to remind him that we were not Angela's parents, though we often forgot.

"Uh I think Angela's going with her parents and we'll have to see her there." I said to him. Edward understood the look in my eyes and just gave a simple nod.

"Not a problem, we were planning on going out to dinner after the ceremony did you want to come?" Edward asked Mrs. Weber.

"I'm afraid I can't. Angela's father and I are jetting out of town to Cabo right after the ceremony." She said all smugly as if either of us gave a shit.

"Glad to hear it." Was all Edward said before he yanked me into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "Well she's a piece of work."

"Oh, she's a piece of something." I said as he chugged down some of his beer and proceeded to unbutton his shirt.

"How was therapy?" he asked as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. I kissed him back I liked after work Edward. When we started dating he would take me to fancy bistros after work and as nice as it was, this at times was better. Just him no fancy wine list, just a beer and a half-undone tie.

"It was good we're making headway." I said my voice dripping with sarcasm. It was my idea to go to therapy. There was so much I wanted to talk to Edward about on a daily basis, there was so much of my past that I wanted to talk to him about. I just didn't know how, I would start and get scared like a little sick chicken and run away, I explained that to him a few nights after he gave me my ultimatum in the darkness of his apartment as we laid there on the bed.

"_Edward?" I said softly to him, he was slightly dozing off but not all gone yet. _

"_Ya." He said quietly. _

"_I don't want to keep everything from you anymore, I genuinely don't" I whispered sitting up on the bed. I got on my knees in front of him and he blinked a few times, confused when he saw the tears on my face. _

"_I didn't say those things so you'd be pressured to tell me all your trauma just so that you'd know that I'm serious and I want us to be about each other- _

"_I am serious about you Edward. I am so. Serious. About you. I just don't think you'd ever forgive me for everything I haven't said." I whispered. He saw up and put his forehead to mine. _

"_Are you a murderer?" He asked I laughed through some of the tears, I shook my head. _

"_No I am not… but Edward there's so much about me that.. I just don't even know where to begin." I started as I cried. He gave me soft look, like he understood the inner battle I was having. He just nodded before he took my hand. _

"_Start with healing from whatever it is you want to heal from Bella. No matter how you decide to do that I will be right here. We will figure it all out okay?" He whispered. _

"_Maybe I should try therapy?" I asked him not looking at him in the eyes ashamed I even suggested it. He lifted my chin with his index finger. _

"_That is nothing to be ashamed of… I'm proud of you for taking the steps you need to take to feel better. Bella we can have a bright future you know? I know you freak out everytime I so as mention it so I try not too but we can have a beautiful life together you know? I see it with you." _

_I smiled softly, playing with his fingers as tears fell. _

"_White pickett fence? Two kids? Whole nine yards?" I questioned looking at him he smiled, he kissed my forehead. _

"_Whole nine yards Bella." His eyes smoldered into mine and I wrapped my arms around him tightly. _

"_I'm going to fix myself, because I want that with you Edward. I'm going to fix myself for you... for us." I promise. _

"_And I'll be right here, the whole time with you." He vowed. _

"Sometimes therapy can take a while to really help you know?" He said walking over to the couch and pulling me into his lap. I sat there and made myself comfortable, loving the way it felt to just be like this.

"Really?" I asked

"Mhm." He said taking another sip. I studied his face as he played with my fingers.

"You went?" I asked, though it was more like a statement. He nodded his eyes meeting mine.

"After Tanya… I just –

"You don't need to-

"No, I want too… after she left me it was like I was looking at everyone like they were on the verge of setting me on fire, I didn't trust anyone. I thought my life was over I thought I was going crazy I never left my apartment I almost lost the company." He said the last part softly.

"Oh." Was all my stupid ass could say.

"Yeah so Renesme forced me to get my ass into therapy and if it wasn't for her holding the fort down at the company, I think I would've lost it…all." He said I played with his hair as he spoke. "You know and Embry that was hard too he was… my best friend." He choked out. I put my chin on top of his head and he held me tighter. "There were days I would wake up and I would pray that I died… and that was when I realized things could get really bad, if I didn't talk to someone, first six months in therapy I just thought this chick was talking random B.S. She said I'd fall in love again, I'd find purpose again, said one day I'd be happy again and I couldn't picture it… but here I am, sitting here with the most beautiful woman in the world… looking forward to a whole new plan." He whispered looking up at me. I laughed a little at the last part.

"A plan." I said feigning shock. "With little old me?" I joked his eyes met mine but they weren't in a joking tone.

"I struggle with not wanting to scare you off but… if you'll keep me around for that long then -yeah I've thought of some stuff." He said his voice drifting off. I kissed his forehead and took his face in my hands.

"Tell me?" I whispered.

"Well I was thinking maybe we can move in together soon? Somewhere where we both decide and somewhere that's… _ours." _He said. Tears gathered in my eyes and he looked like he regretted saying anything.

"See this is why-

"No… No I want too Edward… I want that more than _anything." _I said he smiled so bright and I didn't doubt that mine matched his.

"We'll start looking before Paris?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded laughing through my tears before I attacked him with my lips.

**OOOOoo**

"And with that we present The Waldorf's annual Cotillion." The presenter said into the microphone. I smiled as I saw her, Angela wearing the necklace my mother gave me.

"_Angela?" _

_I called as I came backstage where all the girls were running around and doing last minute touches. Angela was at one of the many vanity's by herself, she was fixing her lip gloss her eyes looking lost in thought. I looked over to the side to see Mrs. Weber with a glass of champagne, talking to another mom… gossiping. I rolled my eyes. _

"_Ang?" I called again, when she saw me she let out a breath. _

"_Oh, thank God." She said wrapped her arms around me. "Nothing is going right my hair won't cooperate and Alice was totally wrong that necklace isn't perfect." She said as she cried softly. Ripping the necklace she had on, off. _

"_Hey." I said laughing as I held her. "You're just nervous calm down." I said quietly. I went to the vanity and fixed her makeup and when I was done doing that, I took one of my most treasured pieces of jewellery. A Harry Winston Diamond encrusted choker, that I wore at my cotillion. When I showed it to her, her eyes widened. Her manicured fingers traced the necklace as if she was afraid to ruin its perfection. _

"_This is a Harry Winston necklace." She said softly. _

"_I wore it when I was your age for something like this, my mom gave it to me she wore it on her wedding day to my dad." _

"_Bella I can't take that." She said tears in her eyes. I don't know why it was so emotional for the both of us but it just was. _

"_Of course you can." I whispered softly as I turned her around and put the necklace on her. She fingered it looking in the mirror. _

"_It's perfect." _

"_I thought it would be." I smiled. _

"_Your mother had impeccable taste." She commented and my heart thudded in my chest when she said it. I nodded softly in agreement. _

"_Yeah she did." I said. _

"_Role call ladies, line up." Said an organizer. _

"_Edward and I will be out there okay?" _

"_Okay." She said with a bright smile, beaming at herself in the mirror fingering the necklace I just gave her. _

"She looks like a little princess and not like the catty crazy girls I know these society princesses tend to be." Said a voice from beside me as I watched the girl's ballroom dance. I looked to be met with Esme Cullen herself. She sat down beside me.

"Esme I just want to enjoy this night I don't want to get into a catty fight with you." I said being bluntly honest.

"I know who you really are." She said ignoring my past comment. I didn't flinch but I did freeze.

"What?" I said softly.

"I know who you are Isabella. It took me a while I couldn't put my finger on it, you were so out of place but yet still you fit so easily didn't you." She said as she sipped her champagne her eyes on the girls now. I swallowed.

"It all made sense once I was looking at the segment on Charles Swan…. You must know the one I'm talking about." She edged her voice barely above a whisper. I nodded.

"I do."

"You were a cute kid… very cute. I almost didn't recognize you, I almost missed it but you know what gave it away?"

She said amused at her findings.

"No Esme I don't, what gave it away?" I was looking at her now.

"The Cotillion footage… _your cotillion footage_. There you were being escorted by Mike Newton _of The Newton's" _She said amused shaking her head. She had this look in her eyes a look that showed she was wrong but still smug that she figured it out.

"Turns out Edward does have a type even if he doesn't know it." She said leaning in her chair. I flinched at that though, because it was true. Esme Cullen had said something that was true.

"It bugged me you know it _really _bugged me that I couldn't figure it out when I first saw you. How did you know all the customs, how were you wearing a vintage Givenchy when you're an assistant. At first, I thought maybe Edward was going above and beyond and showing you the best things money could buy but…. But it still didn't make sense because you didn't have the look or the attitude of a pretty woman incarnate, did you? No, you had the attitude of someone who knew she belonged here and that's why I was confused… because you looked like you didn't. But then there you were, head of blonde hair in that segment hiding in plain sight-

"Don't tell him." I cut her off taking a deep breath. She just raised her eyebrows at me, I thought she would get angry, fight me, roll her eyes but she didn't. She just looked at me confused.

"Why? You come from a good place you come from good people-

"No, I don't Esme." I said quietly as I cried. "I come from a bunch of crazy people who don't seem that way because they can afford to hide it." I reasoned. She let out a breath, both our eyes went to Edward who was in the corner talking to a colleague.

"Isabella your mother and father are worried sick about you… but he doesn't know that does he?"

"He thinks they're dead"

She scoffed.

"Do you know them?... my parents?" I asked softly I figured she would, people like them tended to know each other even if they didn't live in the same state.

she nodded her head softly.

"Your father let Carlisle and I use his vacation house on that island he has… the one that was named after your sister after she passed. Isle-

"Isle Victoria." I whispered. She nodded.

"Isabella what happened… was not-

"You don't know how things changed after she died you don't know what happened when we all found out the truth, you just know what Rene chooses to tell you." I whispered in defence. Defending my decisions. Esme leaned into me.

"You're right, your father and mother are simply friends that I'm not entirely close with, so I don't know the inner dealings of what happened, but I do know one thing… your mother and father love you. I will admit people like us tend to… smother. It doesn't always come out right but Isabella… you're someone's daughter and you just disappeared." She whispered as she fingered a wave of my hair brushing it behind my ear.

"You're on the verge of starting a life with Edward… You should be honest with him Isabella he's my son and he deserves that… but you also deserve it also." She said quietly sounding more human than I'd ever heard her sound. Edward took this time to come to our table he looked a little confused, at our friendly stance. His eyes said it all.

"What did I miss over here?" He asked.

"Nothing I was just telling Isabella here that she cleans up nicely. I'm almost proud." Esme said

"Her name is Bella, mom." Edward said in a tone defending me. Something flashed in both Esme and I's eyes when he said that. I looked at her pleadingly and she just nodded somewhat quietly.

"Sorry sweetie." She said leaning to give Edward a kiss on the cheek, and then she walked away. Edward came and occupied her spot.

"Sorry if she made you uncomfortable, I'm gonna talk to her and tell her that she needs to back off of you and learn to accept you and if she doesn't-

"We actually had an okay conversation… she was actually nice to me." I said matter-of-factly. Edward looked a little taken aback.

"Really?"

"Yes, maybe she's coming around."

"Yeah…. Maybe she is." He said wrapping his arm around me and kissing my temple. Not realizing that despite being in love with me, as of today his mother was the only person in both our lives, who knew exactly who I was.

**OOOOoo**

**Things are getting warmer. Bella's past is unearthing itself. Let me know what you guys think! Please review and tell me what you think about everything. **


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